Untold Secrets
by Master of Tang
Summary: Zero, a mobile suit mechanic, tries to live a normal life despite his traumatizing childhood. Now with newer problems, and newer people, how will this effect his ongoing mission?
1. Late Nights

Chapter 1: Late Nightz

I awoke suddenly. Thunder ringing loud in my ears. It was nothing new. Same time, same place, same mediocre loft. Same ol' Zero. I sat up in bed wiping the sweat off my forehead, trying to shake off the dream i was having. The same dream thats been plaguing me since i was 12. The night my parents died. Even 8 years later, that night was still fresh in my mind. I was playing xbox, while i waited for dinner. The unknown mobile suit slipped into our colony undetected. Mind bent on destruction i could only guess. No one knew how it penetrated our defenses.

All i remember was mom telling me to come get my plate, when missiles tore through my building in sector 4. My parents ran into my room and tried to get us all to safety, but our building collapsed before we even got out of the room. The only thing that had saved me was the protection of my parents bodies, sheltering me as the burning building enveloped us. After the mobile suit finished it's chaotic warpath, all buildings in sector 4 were destroyed. With a death-toll of nearly 2,500. After 3 days of screaming, crying, and praying workers from the Peacecraft organization finally dug through my building and found me, and what was left of my parents. I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle in sector 42. After my parents funeral, i kinda became stoic, and refused to talk to anyone. I remained like that for about 2 years. In those years i was home schooled and visited regularly by a grief councilor. It helped me out alot. I eventually finished school, got a decent job working with mobile suits, and gundams. And from there, I went on with my life. Everything worked out for the best, but sometimes (like now) i would just get into a slump.

I slid to the edge of the bed and put on my slippers. As funny as it seems, i still wear Buzz Lightyear slippers that glow in the dark. Some things never change. I stretched and walked down the hallway, looking at the pictures of friends and family. It's always been a family tradition to have a hall of fame, well, a hall of pictures of people anyway. There was one picture my ex had taken of me and some mobile suit pilots i would soon become best friends with. I looked at the picture with the inscription ' Zero, Duo, and Trowa shootin the breeze' . I had just made some minor repairs to their gundams, and asked if i could get a picture with them. We'd been friends ever since. I smiled as i continued my walk down the hallway The house lit up as lightning struck a transformer outside. Then the entire house went black again. Great.

I sulked into the kitchen, holding the walls as i walked along. I reached the fridge and went searching inside. I think it was about time for some change. I took out some gin and juice. Laid Back. I sat at the counter and felt out my favorite shot glass. It was tinted black with a red bottom and a few little spikes on it. My kind of glass. I sat there and downed a few shots, 10 to be exact. All the while the thunderstorm is getting worse outside. I started wondering if the tarp on my new project had blown off. Between my thoughts and sudden rambling to my self, i noticed i was drunk. Instant Gratification, or not. Nevertheless, i was tore the hell up by the time someone came knocking at my chamber door.

" what the hell?" i asked myself, in my, no-doubt slurred voice.

I walk/stumbled to the door and looked through the peephole. I couldn't see anything since it was pitch black. Dumb-ass points for me.

" Who is it?" i asked warily,

"It's me," the person said, at least it was a female voice.

" I don't know any me's, try next door." i said getting agitated. I love being drunk.

" Cmon Zero, Let me in. It's dark and i'm scared." she said from the outside of the door,

I could have let the person stand there all night, but i wasn't shady. Ignorant, but not shady. I unlocked the 3 dead-bolts and slid the crossbeam back. Hey security is everything to me, laugh if you want. I bet no one breaks into my house. I took a deep breath and tried to sober up real quick and opened the door. I couldn't see her but i knew her smell from anywhere. Herbal Essences shampoo, Cucumber melon lotions and body spray. JayLa. Hmm...

" what are you doin here? " i asked suspiciously, " last time i seen you, you were driving off with your new man."

" yeah i know," she said sighing. " you were right."

"what's that supposed to mean? I'm right that you're making a mistake? or i'm right that he's not exactly what you think?" i said guarding the door.

" can we talk about this inside, its a lil creepy out here." she said coming close to me.

I can almost taste the last time me and her touched. It was a bitter taste. The taste of deceit, of unworthiness.

The last time i touched her was a hug and a kiss good-bye, as she rode off into the sunset with her new 'thug' Malik. Not to mention she left in the new Mustang GT I bought her 2 weeks earlier.

"sure." I replied moving to the side.

She shuffled past me and collapsed on the couch. I watched her carefully as i re-secured my front door. Even through the dark i could see her long dark orange hair splayed out on the couch, the tiny shirt she wore i supposed to show off her goods, some pants so tight i figured they were painted on. I looked back towards the door, secured the last lock, and sighed. After all she had done to me, all i could do is look at her and smile. I could just tell it was gonna be a long day.


	2. Apologies and Surprizes

Chapter 2: Apologies and Surprises

As I walked away from the door, the power suddenly came back on with a loud buzz. I was grateful for that much, but i wasn't grateful that i had nothing on under my robe. I quickly tightened my grip on the cloth belt so i wouldn't be exposing myself. We'd been in the same room for 5 minutes, and i was already screwing up. That's love for you, or at least it was.

" so, how have you been? " she asked sitting up,

" i'm surviving. "i replied. " what about you?"

" Well, i'm...here." she said looking at her shoes.

" he left you didn't he?" I asked.

There was a long pause. She sniffled a lil bit and wiped here eyes. I could see small lines where her mascara had started to run.

" ...yeah, yeah he did." she said after while.

" Well look, I honestly don't know why you're here. You left me for this guy remember? Remember kissing me good-bye 2 years ago?"

" yeah, but Zero."

" but what? since he's not in the picture no more, you think you can just run back to me, like nothin ever happened? " I said slamming my glass on the mini bar.

" What are you getting so mad for?" she said standing up.

" I was in love with you, but you left me because you said you need some change, its what your heart wants. Remember?"

" Zero, that was then. I made a mistake ok? I admitted my faults. I'm sorry, is that what you wanna hear?" she said, tears welling up in her eyes.

She stood there looking at me and i couldn't help but feel sorry for her, because i was still in love with her. My only wish is that i could show no emotion like Trowa, or his comrade Heero. That wasn't me though. That's not the way Zero works unfortunately.

" Look, you can stay here till daylight, but I have to go to work in the morning. We'll talk later." i told her as i walked towards the kitchen.

" Zero...Thanks," she said stopping in mid-sentence.

" What?" i asked.

" you look cute in your robe and buzz slippers." she said giggling.

I ignored the last comment and proceeded into the kitchen. I felt some kind of way suddenly, now that she was here. No, no, no, and no. I would not act this way after all she's done to me...I'm so weak..I stuck my head out into the living room.

" This is gonna sound funny and not right at the same time but, you wanna share a bed with me?" i said rubbing the back of my head..so desperate!

" Um, sure, wait.. no funny business." she said putting her hands on her hips.

" What? I'm the one mad at you, i'm just trying to be nice in my drunken state." i said giving her the eyebrow.

" alright, but i'm using the chastity pillow." she said walking towards the bedroom.

I regretted what i said once it had come out of my mouth. Not only did i let her back in my house, but i let her back in my bed. Helluva night this is. I jumped as my cell phone started ringing. That special ring. ugh.. It could only be one person.

I picked it up, " Duo do you know what time it is? "

" that doesn't matter, I found it." he said.

" HEY! I'M WEARING ONE OF YOUR WHITE TEES!" Jayla screamed from the other room.

" Found what, make it quick."

" Wait, is that JayLa in the background? Oh maaaan."

" Duo tell me what you called to tell me. "

" not tonight, let's just say some revenge is in order, and you need to finish your project." he said, and with that he hung up.

Duo doesn't say goodbye. I'd learned that after while. Just not his style i guess. Oh well. I put the phone back on the charger. and put away my booze. I got a little self-conscious and tightened the strap on my robe again. Didn't want any unexpected visitors...well..any other unexpected visitors. As i stumbled back to the bedroom, turning off lights as i went, I noted that i was more tired than drunk...or was it the other way around? Who cares? I made it back to the bed room, and accidentally walked in on JayLa changing. Making me turn red in 2.3 seconds.

" oh! i'm sorry." i said covering my eyes.

" boy please," she scoffed " it's nothin you haven't already seen."

She did have a point there. I put my hand down, watching her slip one of my old t-shirts on. Yeah, nothing's changed. She crawled onto the bed slowly, almost teasingly. If she was trying to make me feel some-type-of-way, it was working. Oh how it was working. She looked at me smiling.

" aren't you coming to bed?" she said giggling.

" yeah, uh..hey. how about i sleep on the cooch, I MEAN COUCH!" i said slipping up,

" Zero, turn the light off and get in this bed. It's not like you're cheating by sleeping with me..metaphorically speaking."

I thought about it for second. " yeah you're right. move over you're in my spot."

She moved over as i turned off the lights. I crawled into the bed and yawned, stretching so i could get comfortable. JayLa edged over towards my side of the bed, nuzzling herself against me. Having her warm body against mine, was strangely comfortable. Although it really wasn't right. I think.

" Good night Zero," she said getting one last stretch in.

" g'nite JayLa." i said putting my arm around her waist. What was i getting myself into.


	3. Jealousy is a bad thing

Chapter 3: Jealousy is a bad thing

I actually slept quite peacefully for a while. Have JayLa snuggled up against me made me sleep even better i guess. Well it would have, if i wasn't paranoid and waking up every time this girl moved in her sleep, or if she would just share the damn blanket. Even in her sleep, and with her little snores she looked beautiful. No wonder i fell for her. I sat up and looked at the clock. 5:45am. No point of tryin to sleep anymore. I had to get up a 6 for work anywayz. I slid of the bed and walked into my bathroom, making sure not to slam the door and wake the sleeping demon. I turned on the shower disrobed and got in. I bent my head forward, letting the water run through my hair and down my back. No one values a good shower nowadays. hehe, My water bill is hella high. I stood there basking as the steam filled the room, like smoke fills a burning building. It isn't a nice thought but it is how it is.

I washed, I shampooed, I shaved, I brushed, and i was ready for work. Besides the fact that i still had no clothes on. I peeked out the door to make sure JayLa was still sleep. I heard light snoring. Word. I left the towel, and walked out to my closet. I picked out my black and red leather pants, black shirt, and black biker boots. I dressed and put on my biker googles and started to walk out.

" i saw your booty. " she snickered from under the blanket,

" Oh yeah, well i felt on yours while you were sleep." i laughed walking out.

" oooh you slick motha-" that's all she got out before i closed the door.

I walked to the door, grabbed my keys, and left the house. The fridge was fully stocked and so was the bar. So, Jayla would be fine, but i was worried. I was still thinkin about what Duo told me on the phone last night. Had he found the unknown gundam? Is that what he meant? No matter, I'd find out soon enough. I had some work to do on the Deathscythe anyway. I took the elevator down to the garage level and went to the back wall. I had purchased the entire back wall for my cars, bikes, and trucks. I walked down the line and picked out my flame orange harley chopper. I especially liked this present because Trowa stole it, I mean, bought it for me. I hopped, started the engine, and peeled off toward the garage door. I waved at the guard, and he opened the steel-reinforced storm door. The sunlight was so bright i had look away until my eyes adjusted. I pulled off into the nice warm morning. I took the highway to work to today. I either had a choice of taking the highway or taking the long rural route. Long rural route was not for me today.

After about 10 minutes of speeding i finally made it to work. I must have been a few minutes early because everyone was looking at me, surprised. Or it was Duo telling everybody i had JayLa over last night. It turned out to be the latter i later found out. I parked the bike next to the DeathScythe and immediately got to work. There was a complaint that the scythe flamed out in his last battle. So i walked around the legs and checked the fuse compartment. Duo walked over to where i was working.

" Any idea what's wrong?" he asked,

" Duo how long have i been working on your gundam?" i asked

" Uh...a long time now?"

" Correct answer."

" so you do know whats wrong right? cuz i had bludgeon the mobile suit to death last night man, i can't afford this to happen again."

" you need new fuses Duo, that's it. What else did you want me to check out."

" I wanted to see if you could upload the wing zero system to here."

" why the hell would you wanna do that?"

" Heero can handle it, Quatre can handle it, i can handle it too."

" look thats gonna take a few days to do, but its doable, hey. what were you talkin about last night?"

" yeah, i saw it. The mobiles suit that...yeah that mobile suit. but there's more bad news."

" what now."

" It's like a Heavyarms on X , and it's a gundam."

"what do you mean it's a gundam! " I yelled.

Everyone in a 50 yd radius turned and looked at me and Duo. I started shaking my hand like i had hurt it, to throw off the weak minded.

" I thought there were only 5 gundams?" i said.

" yeah, besides the Tallgeese and the Epyon. someone else knows how to make em." he answered.

" yeah, that isn't good. look let me get back to work and we'll talk later. "

" alright i'll stop by later and pick the ol' girl up. Oh by the way how was your night last night?" he asked chuckling.

He didn't get much of an answer, but i think a thrown wrench is enough answer for anyone. I got back to work replacing the fuses in the scythe. It wasn't an easy job though. I spent a few hours alone doing this part. i ended up being done by 11:00, and being electrocuted 3 times. I hopped in the cockpit and powered up the Deathscythe, bringing it to a standing position. I activated the 4 vernier rocket boosters and blasted off 1000 feet in the air before i even knew it. I stopped and set the leg thrusters on enough power to hover while i tested the scythe. I pulled it off from behind me and activated it watching the green flame of energy shoot out forming the scythe blade. Well my job was done. I descended pretty quick and landed the gundam, deactivated the scythe and returned it the its holder. I did a final check on the system and returned the Gundam to its resting position.

I climbed out of the cockpit to find JayLa waiting for me by my bike. I walked down the leg of the gundam and hopped down from the foot. I walked over to her.

" what's up?" i said,

" nothin i just wanted to see you." she said takin a seat on the bike.

" didn't you see me, and my behind a couple hours ago?" i asked

" yeah, but that's different. "

" like how? explain this one." i said

" well I just want to tell you that i really, truly.."

She stopped in mid sentence as a white pick-up barreled into the parking lot, and pulled up behind my bike. And out jumped the only person i didn't wanna see right now. Malik. here we go..

" Ah, just the man I wanted to see, THE Zero." Malik said walking up toward me and JayLa,

" I didn't see you on my appointment list brah, maybe you need to go and schedule one." i said pointing towards the front desk.

" Well I don't believe my bitch is on your appointment list man." he said crackin his knuckles,

" who a fuck you callin a bitch, bitch?" JayLa said jumping off the chopper.

" Sit down, before you get knocked down JayLa. What you can do is go get in the truck."

" she ain't goin nowhere wit you brah man, I don't even know why you came here."

" I came here to knock you the fuck out, that's what i came to do."

If I learned anything that day, I learned that the hand is way quicker than the eye. He stole me completely. I was on the ground before i even know what had happened. I heard JayLa yell something, and i jump up to see his hand go across her face. I wasn't havin that shit. He cocked back to hit her again, but my foot met his kidneys before he had a chance to swing.

It sent him to the ground gasping for breath. and i just started stomping his ass out.

" you..ever.,.touch..her..again..i..swear..i'll...fuckin...kill...you!" i yelled between stomps,

" Zero what the hell are you doin!" the dock manager yelled and he pulled me away from the so called ' thug'.

" just handlin some business Gus." i replied backing away.

" oh yeah, handle this!" Malik yelled, I didn't even see him get up.

He had picked up the wrench i threw at Duo earlier and ran toward me. I pushed Gus out the away, and knock the wrench out his hand. He pushed me, and tried to grab my neck. JayLa came from behind and took out his knees. I backed up a lil bit, and watched as Jayla did some sort of martial arts move and sent him flying into the side of his truck. Some strange bluish-purple trails lifted from where she had hit him. I knew it was something because he started screaming, and clawing at his face. He made it back into his truck and slammed it into reverse out of the yard. I looked at JayLa ask she dusted her hands off.

" what the hell was that?" i asked her

" payback." she said

" no, i mean the smokey dusty stuff. "

" oh just a lil form of poison i concocted."

" i thought i told you to stop doing the mad chemist thing."

" i did but, i so happen to have some on me. just incase."

" just incase huh..wait. what the hell was in that stuff."

" nuh uh its a secret. " she said waving her finger at me.

" Well what is the main component." i asked.

" Hydro-chloric Acid " she said smiling.


	4. 2nd Chances

Chapter 4: 2nd chances

The dock boss told me to take the rest of the day off. I didn't disagree. After all i learned today, i just wanted to go home and chill out. I got my thingz and started up my bike. Before i even had a chance to pull off, my cell phone started ringing. the same special ring.

" yes Duo." i answered.

" Actually Trowa, but i'm on Duo's phone. Duo told me to tell you that you're coming with us on a mission tonight." he said in his disturbingly emotionless voice.

" What? I never had any combat training in a gundam, or any other mobile suit."

" WELL TELL HIM IT'S TIME HE'S LEARNED!" Duo screamed in the background.

" well you heard him. we 'borrowed' a Vayeate we found, and we want you to go up with us, while your Gundam is being worked on." he explained.

" Gundam? i don't have a.." i looked to where my project mobile suit should have been, but wasn't.

" we had the scientists come pick it up while you were repairing the DeathScythe." he said.

" Alright, I'll go, just call me later ok?"

" alright, stay by your phone."

He hung up at the end of his sentence. He's becoming more like Duo sheesh. I put my backpack on and pulled to the front entrance where JayLa was waiting. She signaled me to go ahead, and i did. She managed to keep up with me as i blew down the highway. That Mustang must have a helluva engine, because i was goin 140 easy. Well i got my money's worth...well she did anyway. Flying down the highway made me think of my project mobile suit. But now it was being turned into a gundam. I'm not ungrateful, but i don't know if I'd be able to handle it. Piloting the DeathScythe was troublesome enough, the controls were a little too touchy if you ask me. I just activated the thrusters and was 1000 feet in the air in under 5 seconds. I was kinda worried about going out with Duo and Trowa tonight. All 5 of the gundam pilots were supposed to be there, but that didn't make me any safer in a clunky Vayeate. the only thing i could hope for is that there wouldnt be any battling. I decided to stop thinking about it, and just drive down the highway. Not too much later we both made it back to the garage and parked the vehicles. I got off my bike and started to walk towards the elevator.

" Hey! Wait for me! " JayLa yelled at me trying to get all her stuff out the car.

" What did you do go, shopping?" i said looking at all the bags in her hand.

" of course, what did you think i just came to see you?" she said stiffly

I was kinda hurt at that point. I had actually thought she did come to see me. Maybe she was just wasting time, and she decided to stop by my job to shoot the shit. Wait, I'm talking like we're actually together. She's just rooming with me for now. Why do i care. I went back and helped her with some of her bags.

" thank you, you're such a gentleman" she said picking more bags out the trunk.

" did you buy the whole damn store?" i asked.

" damn near." she said lifting the heavy load.

We both eventually made it to the elevator. I was surpized that the overweight alarm didn't go off as we traveled up to the top floor. I undid the security locks after almost falling down the hallway, and walked into the house. I dropped the bags in the living room and put my keys on the wall. JayLa immediately went through her bags and produced a Browning Hi-Power.

and 2 clips.

" and what the hell may that be for?" i asked raising an eyebrow at her.

" eh...personal reasons." she replied checking the gun out.

" Umm, Jay, What do you need with a high powered pistol that has anything to do with personal reasons." i asked again sitting down on the couch.

" I need a little extra protection for my line of work." she said placing the gun on the table.

" That's not a good enough reason for me. " I said staring at her.

" Well i really don't have to explain myself to you, to be frank Zero." she said confidently.

She was hiding something from me, and i can't say i liked it. She sighed, turned and looked at me.

" i just don't want nothing to happen to us..ME, nothin to happen to me." she said trying to cover up what she just said.

I still wasn't convinced, but then again it really wasn't my business. I dismissed it and laid my head back against the wall. My morning alone had been enough for me, and it was only 2:30. I closed my eyes and drifted off into space, trying to forget what all happened this morning. Soon later i was sleep. I dreamt a good, but dark dream. I was in a mobile suit fly through space. I heard voices over the radio. One strangely sounded like JayLa, the others sounded like the other gundam pilots. I looked on my monitors and saw a mobile suit flying towards me, beam sword blazing. I pulled out my own beam sword, but it was too close. It's sword lanced towards me and i woke up. Sweating. JayLa standing over me in something i could only guess was lingerie.

" i thought you'd never wake up." she said leaning over towards me.

" what time is it." i asked, trying to shake off the dream.

" 4:48, why? you have to go somewhere." she said dragging her finger around my collarbone.

" uh..uhgmm, no, not till later." i said getting a chill.

" oh good, i uh had something planned for you."

" wait, what are you doing?" i asked timidly.

She bent down lower and gave me a soft kiss on the neck, making me quiver a little bit. I started to say something but she put her finger over my lips, and climbed on top of me. I wasn't sure what was happening but i was sure liking it at the moment.

" Zero, i just want you to know , that i do still love you, and i wanna thank you for what you did for me today." she said between kisses.

" but, why are you doin this?" i asked trying not scream when she found my spot.

" because i think a 2nd chance is in order, and your gonna get every last bit of it." she said unsnapping her outfit.


	5. The Calm Before the Storm

Chapter 5: The calm before the storm.

I laid back in the bed and relaxed. I was exhausted if anything. JayLa lay next to me smiling, her hand resting on my stomach. To be completely honest, I didn't know she had it in her. She must have learned something while she was away with that punk-ass thug. It was never like that when we were together before. Eh, I dismissed it. It was great nonetheless. 4 hours had flown by easily, i surmised as i looked at the clock. 8:58 pm. Hell i had to get up. i sat up in bed and started putting my clothes back on.

" where you going. I thought we were going for round 3." she said rolling onto her stomach, sticking her lip out.

" we can when i get back. I have to go out for a couple hours. Some work i need to get finished. " i lied.

"well ok, i'll be waiting for you, don't forget about me." she said covering herself a shirt and walking to the bathroom.

I laughed to myself, she has sex with me, but covers herself up to walk past me. Not too long afterward i heard the shower going, and heard her singing to herself. I wanted to join in the fun, but i had stuff to do. I opened my room door and walked down the hallway. I grabbed my keys, my phone, and after a little debate with myself, JayLa's Browning Hi-power. I stuffed the gun into the small of my back and walked towards the door. I undid my locks and opened the door to find Trowa and someone else standing there.

" Why didn't you knock? " i asked flinching.

" I knew you were coming, plus we need to be as stealthy as possible. " Trowa explained.

" Hi, I'm Quatre Raberba Winner. It's nice to finally meet you. Duo says you do a great job on tuning, and repairs." he said extending his hand.

I shook his hand. " nice to meet you also. so, how are we doing this? " i said securing my door and walking towards the elevator.

" Well Quatre managed to carry the virgo here in the Sandrock, we left our gundams at your job, so it would look too suspicious. We go there. get your mobile suit and meet Heero, Duo, and Wufei in orbit." trowa explained as we got into the elevator and traveled down to the 1st floor.

" wasn't i supposed to get a Vayeate?" i asked.

" yeah, but the God of Death needed something to kill on the way back from my hideout, to test his scythe. So I took it from our collection of stolen Mobile suits." Quatre told me. With Duo, i wasn't too surprised..

We all climbed into a black SUV waiting outside and drove to my job. My I readjusted the gun on my back as we traveled down the highway. It was cold and heavy, but i didn't wanna let anyone know i had it. Hell i didn't even want to use it. So i suffered. We rode in complete silence the rest of the way, which kinda made me paranoid really. I didn't know what to expect tonight. What ever it was, i just hope i'd be ready. We turned into the front entrance of my job and drove to the absolute back of the complex, where we kept all the mobile suits, and there they stood, well laid anyway. The Gundam Sandrock, The Gundam Heavyarms, and my little Virgo. I felt like a little kid.

I already knew how to get in the mobile suit, the real question is could i really pilot it. I opened the hatch, and climbed in. Trowa and Quatre watched me get in the mobile suit and get strapped in before they both got in their gundams. I did the usual procedure of activating the suit and doing a pre systems check, and not long after that we were ready to go. Well, everyone except me. I was a nervous wreck. One reason is because i've never been in space with a mobile suit, and 2 i was just scared of what could happen. I shook off my fears and closed the hatch. There was no turning back now.

" Zero, we're having rockets put on our mobile suit so we can exit the atmosphere easier, so when you feel a nudge don't be scared." Trowa said with a laugh over the radio.

" Can you tell im that nervous?" i asked back.

" Yeah, but its natural. You'll get over it once we're in battle." he said back.

" What! battle!" whoa whoa whoa, Zero doesn't battle." i said panicking.

" You will soon, prepare for lift off over and out." his face disappeared off the screen

before i had time to disagree we all blasted off and i was forced into the bottom of my seat. The acceleration was incredible. Struggling against the g-forced, i managed to see me airspeed indicator read 2,895 mph, and the altimeter reading 40,696 ft. Just as the pressure was starting to get to me, it was over. I looked out my monitor and saw that we were literally on top of the earth. Not to be a punk or anything, but it looked beautiful. Night had fallen over the America's and sunlight was crawling over Russia and the rest of Europe. Suddenly, Trowa's face came up on my monitor.

" we've cleared the atmosphere, you need to put on the space suit we have stored in there." he said.

" ok I'm puttin it on now, when are the other pilots supposed to meet us? " i said pulling out the suit and slipping it on.

" they should be here shortly, meanwhile we need to go to radio blackout, so know one tracks our signal. I'll see you in a few." He said, and the screen disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

So, i guess we were waiting here. Great. Good Times. I decided to waste some time checking out the capabilities of the mobile suit. I grabbed the controls and actually began piloting the mobile suit. I looked over the buttons on the console and found the button for my beam saber. I pressed it and grabbed the beam saber fron a pod in the side of the suit. it was a normal green energy saber. Nothin special. I lashed out with the saber, practicing just incase. I deactivated the saber and returned it to it's resting place. I concentrate on just the basic movements and using the thrusters. In a few minutes i was already oriented in how to move and maneuver. I just didn't wanna count this to save my life. Because if it came down to it, 99.9 chance was I'm screwed. A screen popped up on my display showing 3 mobile suit coming toward us. I recongnized the DeathScythe immediately, and Wing Zero following suit, but i had never seen the other gundam, nor its pilot. I guess that was the gundam shenlong. Well they were all coming, so i was safe, i surmised. But that whole scenario changed 3 seconds later.


	6. SelfDefense

Chapter 6: Training Day

Another screen popped us showing 16 Virgo flying directly at us. They were only 2 miles away. They started firing on us from the distance. I slammed the controls forward and flew downward just barely avoiding the beams. They were equipped with beam rifles just like me, but i was a rookie. another disadvantage was that they were mobile dolls.

" Zero, abort! Fly away! " Quatre said pulling out his scythes and flying towards them.

" Stay behind me! " Trowa said raising his gattling gun and firing into the crowd.

I took cover behind Trowa and pulled out my beam rifle. The target reticule appeared on the screen, and the 2nd reticule came out the side of my seat and came over my eye. I sat there waiting for the beams to stop flying past. i pulled out from behind Heavyarms and began firing my beam rifle, aiming at the nearest Virgo. I was hitting it, but it was still coming. I don't know if it was bravery or stupidity, but i pulled out my beam saber and started flying toward the mobile suit.

" Zero, what are you doing! " Quatre yelled over the radio. " you're gonna get yourself killed!"

As soon as i had done it i had regretted it. One mobile doll arched over Sandrock and lanced toward me pulling out it's own beam saber. I swung my saber and we met at a stand off. I kicked the MS away from me and slashed at it. It turned out to be a nice hit. I sliced of the hand holding the beam rifle, but being a mobile doll, that didn't affect it's performance. I blasted backwards from it, and it was right on my ass, sword blazing. It chased me for a good mile. Swinging and slashing at me. I was fighting back, knocking it's saber away everytime it got too close.

" Zero, boost downward now!" someone said over the radio,

I knocked its saber away once more, kicked the mobile suit, and activated the reverse thrusters, sending me flying downward. I looked up to see a huge beam engulf the mobile suit, blowing the arms off and crippling it. I boosted forward and slashed right through the middle of the suit, leaving it to explode behind me. The concussion knocked me forward some, but i reversed the thrusters and compensated for the drift. I stopped moving and let go of the controls. My heart was still pounding in my throat, making it a little hard to breathe. I sat there taking deep breaths, breathing a little too hard.

" Zero, you ok?" Duo said floating up to me,

" I...I'm ok." I stammered, taking my helmet off.

" He's a natural." Heero said floating up beside me. " He did better than any 1st time I've ever seen."

" I agree, he's got potential." Wufei added.

" What do you think guys, can we train him?" Duo asked the other pilots.

" Yeah, I like his style, plus i've never see anyone flying backwards saber fighting." Heero said.

" Guys, thanks, but I don't think i did that great." i said wiping my face.

" Zero, you just took on a mobile doll, they have just as much experience as us gundam pilots do. you did good." Trowa complimented.

" Mission Complete," Heero said.

" our mission were to take out these mobile dolls?" i asked,

" yeah, and to get you some combat training." Quatre replied.

" oh yeah, thanks, set me up against the hardest thingz in the whole damn world. what if i couldn't get the hang of it and got killed?" i said getting a lil angry.

" Then we would have helped you, everything had been under control." Trowa said calmly.

I was kinda pissed at all the pilots for setting me up like this. I could have gotten killed. If i would have died, JayLa would kill me. Literally. I pulled away from them a little bit, and pulled out my cell phone wondering if it worked of the face of the planet. Hell i was probably by the satellite in the 1st place, being in orbit and all. I dialed my home number and it actually started ringing. She picked up after the third ring.

" Hey babe, hows the mission going?" she asked.

" good, we're done here actually." i replied.

" oh that's good. well, hurry home." she said." i miss you already."

" yeah, i miss you too. " i said getting kinda emotional.

We said our goodbyes and i hung up the phone. Duo came up on a private screen.

" Zero, you ok man?" he said.

" yeah , i just...i never came so close to death before. I work around mobile suit everyday, but it's just so much harder controlling them than it is fixing them." i said sighing.

" but dude you really did good. Trust me, coming from Gundam pilots, thats good." he said reassuringly. " oh shit, you're about to get more practice, We have 10 mobile suits closing fast. Unknown type," He said into the com system."

I turned towards the vector they were flying in at and started firing my beam rifle. I was hitting them dead on but they had some sort of energy shield. They just shrugged off the energy beam and kept coming. I pulled out my energy beam again and prepared to attack, only hoping i would be a little more experienced from the 1st battle. The unknown suit flew directly at my pulling its own saber. Everything went black.


	7. Temporary Insanity

Chapter 7: Temporary Insanity

I woke up with a bright light in my face. Even through the blinding light, i recognized my own place. I was back on earth. I tried to sit up, but hands reached out to push me back down.

" whoa dude, you need to lay here for a while." Duo said pushing me back down on the couch.

" wha...what happened man..." i managed to say. from trying to sit up, i noticed i had a real bad migraine.

" Umm, we don't know what happened. You...well kicked ass." Quatre said. Everyone looked at him. he never curses.

" yeah you even scared Heero." Trowa said laughing.

" he did not." Heero said leaning back on the wall. " i just didn't know what he was doin...I wasn't scared."

" yeah you were, liar." Wufei said picking up his cup.

" wait, tell me exactly what you remember." i said closing my eyes.

" well, you took out the 1st mobile suit that went up against you. It wasn't even sword fight, i never seen a mobile suit do a maneuver that you did. You like arched backward and slashed forward, cutting it in half. Then, you went after the two fighting me, running one through the cockpit and kicking one so i got a clear shot with my staff. Then you boosted off me. and went powering towards Duo, ramming the other mobile suit hard enough for him to drop his weapon, leaving duo open for a nice scythe action slash, which was nice by the way, then you did some sort of spinning maneuver cutting 2 suits in half. After that you stopped moving, you were just un responsive. We had to go in a pull you out of the cockpit. Lucky Quatre's transport came, and we ferried the gundams and your mobile suit back down to earth. We didn't want to take you to the hospital so we brought you back here. and here we are." Wufei said in one breath.

Everyone stared at him stangely.

" you're real long winded aren't you" duo said yawning, bringing in some aspirin and water.

" yeah, he's not normally like that though," Trowa said sitting on the love seat,

" So...i went crazy." i said slowly.

" not necessarily crazy, but you scared the shit out of Heero." Duo said pointing at him.

" HE DID NOT SCARE ME!" he screamed at Duo. "...sorry.."

Duo slapped me on the shoulder as I downed the water and aspirin they had obviously found in my medicine cabinet, "You did damn good...freaked the hell outta me though.""Yea…don't you remember anything about that part?" Wufei asked; I shook my head, "Weird." There was a silent pause when we heard the front door open then slam. I looked up and there was JayLa, the damn red haired devil. She was gasping for air, her hair was disheveled, and her gun, along with another one (I couldn't tell what model) clenched in her hands. We all looked at her with raised eyebrows and she glared back. .She held one of the guns up to Trowa,

"Can I have my face back fellas?" she panted.

We all looked away. Then she disappeared into the room and we all just blinked. Something had just went down. Really, you don't just piss that girl off and get away with your life. If you did…you were damn lucky. I stood up and left them in the room. Had to see what was up with my girl. (My girl…listen to me. Slept with her once and already I'm accustomed to calling her 'My girl'. Pathetic.)And hope I didn't get shot in the process !…sweet girl, but so violent when she wanted to be.

" JayLa, what's up?" i asked keeping my distance.

" nothin! i just had to handle some business. bitch better have my money business." she said stripping out of her clothes.

" uh huh... and who's the bitch the better have had your money?" i asked cautiously.

" that's classified, if i told you, i have to kill you, and thats real." she said walking into the bathroom.

" well I demand access to this damn information, now tell me what's going on."

I heard a loud bang on the door, and some yelling. It could be nothin but bad news, and from the looks of things it wasn't for me. I walked into the bathroom and grabbed JayLa.

" should i be wary of who the fuck is banging at my chamber door?" i said getting irritated real quick.

" for one let me go, for two...maybe...and for three stop calling the FRONT door a CHAMBER door. who the hell are you edgar allen poe?" she said pulling away from me.

I heard another loud bang and Duo rushed into the room. I was right, bad news.

" umm Zero, we have a problem." he said looking kinda worried.

" which is? " i said.

" well we have a large number of armed police trying to break your door down."

" Police? how do you know."

" well i dont, but some guy named Malik is out there, he sounds pissed, and he has a gun too."

" well isn't this great, and i guess you had something to do with this." i said looking at JayLa

" well..."

" yeah thats all the answer i need." i said walking over to my bed.

" What are you doing? " she asked.

" seeing who the hell is at my front door." i said producing a SPAS-12, and a MagSec-11

I walked into the living room, and Duo and Jayla followed suit. I walked to the door and looked out the peephole. I saw 6 maybe 7 guys in front of the door. I cocked the shotgun so they all could here it.

" you have to the count of 2 to get away from my door and out of my building." i said taking it in two hands.

" you must be jokin fool, this ain't the movies. 1 shotgun against 7 guns, why dont you just open the door, and lets settle this, trick." someone said from outside.

I heard some guns cock in unison and some laughs. Oh they think its funny. i took a step back, and i put 3 shells through the door. I jumped to the side before a volley of pistol fire came ripping through the door. I was surprized whoever it was even survived the 1st shot. I looked back and saw everyone produce a weapon of some sort, and start firing through the door. I got up and fired 3 more shots through the door, hearing a few people scream and fall to the floor. Some i only heard fall to the floor. I put 1 last shell through the door and ran back to the room and reloaded. JayLa and everyone was right behind me. I grabbed a box of shells from my desk and scattered them on the bed. JayLa grabbed a couple clips she had hidden in the book case. Clever girl. Everyone else re-upped on ammo also, If they wanted a war, it was gonna be a war. I cocked the shotgun again and started to walk out when the door came swinging open. I jumped back into the room. and hit the floor as bullets came spraying through the walls. Everyone hit the ground at that.

" what are we gonna do," Quatre said reloading his pistol.

" what we always do, fight." heero said unemotionally

" how many's out there?" Jayla asked me,

" way more than seven.." i said as the 1st victim stepped into the doorway.


	8. Somebody's gonna die tonight

Chapter 8: Somebody's gonna die tonight..

I squeezed the trigger and watched the guy fly backward from the power of the impact, leaving blood splattered on the wall behind him. He collapsed into a heap leaning against the wall. Another goon ran back, big mistake. I unloaded another shell, sending him into the guest bathroom behind him. I looked back at everyone as the finished loading, and got ready for war. I grabbed some shells off the foot of the bed and stuffed them in my pocket. I had about 13 shells in my pocket. I hoped that it would be enough. I rolled into the hallway and blasted one guy sneaking up. He no longer had a head. Everyone followed behind me, as we made our way back to the living room.

" not, to question you or anything baby, but what the hell are we going into the fire-fight for?" JayLa yelled over the sound of gunfire.

" We're taking back the living room, getting them back to the hallway. we're too vulnerable in one room." i said launching another guy coming down the hallway.

" Zero, you ever been in a gun fight?" Duo asked.

" no, the 1st person i ever killed is the guy that walked into the room, but it's either me or them. i choose them."

We made it to the corner between the living room and hallway. I peeked out and cased the scene. It didn't look good. I leaned back and told everyone the situation.

" alright, 7 of us 14 of them left. guy by the door has an assault rifle. guy by the tv has a desert eagle. guy ducking behind the couch has a sawed off. ok, i'll take care of the guy with the rifle and shotgun. everyone else pick a target and shoot. Ready?"

" wait, that's a horrible idea, how are we gonna get out there under all that fire." JayLa said.

" I have an idea." Heero added.

He explained his idea, but i involved way too much carnage. I wanted my loft back after this, but i did like the distraction part about it. I approved and lit a book on fire, using a butane lighter i picked out of one of the dead guys pockets. and sure enough the smoke drifted up to the sprinkler system. Immediately the system gushed water from the sprinklers, turning my place from an apartment to the rain-forest. We waited until the plan took full effect, which happened only 5 seconds later, We picked out our targets as the lights dimmed and began to go out. The last thing the saw was us rush into the room, before it went pitch black.

I pulled out my magsec, and leaped over the couch. I put one shell through the man holding the shotgun, and put at least 3 bullets into the guy holding the assault rifle, before i hit the floor. I hit hard enough to knock the wind out of me, but fortunately a body broke my fall. The room flashed with gunfire. from orange to black, orange to black over and over as finger squeezed triggers and bodies fell. It was a bloodbath. There was no other way to explain it. Blood, amongst other things, soaked my blue carpets. It was gonna be a forture to fix this place up again. Someone had to pay damn it.

I sat up and tried to stay low. I listened to the voices in the room and crawled toward who i could only hope was one of my friends. I was wrong. I was dead wrong. The guy seen me coming, turned and fire 3 shots. I was too slow. The bullets caught me once in the side, and 2 in the arm. I dropped the shotgun immediately as i lost feeling in the arm. Well 'cept the burning feeling from being shot. I managed to take out his legs with the magsec in the opposite hand, and i heard him fall to the ground screaming. I was getting dizzy, probably from loss of blood. All i knew is i was hit a little below my ribs. Through the flashes of light i looked at him. I saw scared eyes, scared eyes lookin down the barrel of my magsec. It was Malik. He looked at me and pleaded with his eyes not to shoot him. I closed my eyes, and squeezed the trigger, hearing his scream one more time. I heard nothing for that direction after that. I actually heard nothing in the room at all, the gun-fire had stopped.

I crawled to the edge of the couch, and pulled up on it. I dropped the pistol on a cushion and rolled onto the couch, wincing from the pain.

" is everyone ok?" i managed to get out. It was getting a little hard to breathe.

" yeah, everyone's cool man what about you." i heard Duo say from in the darkness.

" i'm hit, i need to get to a hospital man." I said trying not to bleed on my couch. Too late.

Someone flicked on a pocket light and walked over to me.

" here, where were you hit?" Trowa said checking me out.

" arm, 2 times in the side." i said pointing with my good arm.

" yeah he's hurt pretty bad, we gotta get out of here quick." he concluded.

" yippee." i said weakly.

" no time to be sarcastic smart ass, we gotta really get out of here." JayLa said helping me up.


	9. Secret Identity

Chapter 9: Secret Identity

I was wounded pretty badly, and i wasn't exactly the happiest person in the group. Who would be happy after being shot 3 times point blank. I was bleeding over my damn couch, everyone was talking too loud, and all i could smell was gun-smoke and blood. Not a very good thing after a while. I was still kind vexed that i had to kill someone tonight. Well, alot of someone's. People saw you're supposed to have some sort of giddy rush, but it's all a lie. You're just left feeling horrible and distant. Well, i was anyway. Ever amongst my pain, and irritation, people still found things too be funny. Which pissed me off.

Trowa was patching me up when I heard something that i really didn't like.

" You have got to be shitting me." i said shifting my weight to get up.

" What, what is it?" Quatre asked.

" Cops, 13 blocks away. we have to move, now." Heero said putting away his pistol.

" In what, our car isn't supposed to be here for another 20 minutes." Duo said.

Everyone turned and looked at me. I didn't like that look at all.

" Zero, wha's the fastest 4 cars you have down there? " Duo asked me

" oh no...you are out of your damn mind. We are not taking my cars."

" we don't have a choice, you see all these bodies? We gotta get away quick." he debated.

He had a point. A damn good point.

" i have an F50, an NSX, and an STI. " i told them,

" an Sti? how can you call that fast?" Trowa asked.

" i made sure of it." i said confidently. " its from my old street racing days."

" alright let's reminisce later, right now, we got cops 10 blocks away." Heero said walking out the busted down door.

" Alright, pick a car, meet me in the garage." i said throwing them some keys.

" ok, hurry up man. The god of death doesn't like the man." Duo said running down the hall.

I hobbled back to my room, and got my essential items. Guns, wallet, money, personal stuff, and stuffed it all in one big duffle bag. JayLa was getting things of hers too. I saw little vials, and ammunition for the 2 guns she carried. I wondered. Why wasn't she afraid of a gunfight for one. why she ran in like she did before the gunfight for two. I dismissed it for now, and got al my stuff together. I put on my good arm since i was only starting to get feeling back in the shot one. Plus i was still holding on to the shotgun in my bad arm. Not really a good idea, but what the hell. I ran ran through the living room and out the door, with JayLa on my tail. I pressed the button on the elevator, and the lights told me it was still in the basement. I waited impatiently as the lights came closer and closer to the top floor. JayLa looked down and sighed, dropping her bag.

" Zero, i just want you to know that i'm sorry and i love you ok?" JayLa cocking back both pistols.

" why you say that now? " i asked panicking a little.

She looked at me and shifted her eyes to the SPAS in my shot arm.

" Swat team is comin up the steps, with automatics, for me." she said aiming down the hallway.

" how do you know, i didn't hear them."

" I bugged the building." she said showwing me a display showing black clad soldiers comming up the steps.

Well she was right about on thing, they were coming for blood. Fortunately our luck changed as we heard a ding and the elevator doors opened. I started to back into the elevator, but Unfortunately the SWat team made it to my floor at the same time. Here we go again. I kicked JayLa'a bag into the elevator and started unloading down the hallway, halting their attempt to enter the hallway. JayLa did the same aiming towards the doorway of the steps. I ran out of shells, and pain tolerance from the horrible kick-back. ugh. I backed into the elevator and leaned against the wall. Dropping the spas on the floor. JayLa was still firing, yelling normal bad-guy obscenities such as "fook tha ho-lice" and " you'll never take me alive!". I grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her in the elevator, pressing the button at the same time. She hit the back of the elevator and slid to the floor. She gave me a dirty look but smiled. This girl was too much trouble for me. The doors closed and we journeyed down to the basement.

" is there somethin you wish to tell me woman, cuz now would be the time." I said picking up the shotgun again.

" no, nothing really." she lied.

" you're a liar, if it was nothing, we wouldn't have had to slaughter 20 or so people in my living room." I said slipping some more shells in the spas.

" ok, alright. I'm leading a double life. a dangerous one." she admitted.

" you WHAT!" i yelled turning towards her .

Before i could scream on her, the elevator doors opened and we ran out. Heero and Wufei was in the F50, revving the engine. Trowa, Duo, and Quatre was waiting in the STI. That left the NSX for me and JayLa. Oh boy. We jumped in, and i fired up the engine. Heero took off leading the way, I zoomed off behind him, leaving Duo trailing behind. He must not have been too good in a manual transmission because i tuned that car to keep up with this NSX. We blew out the garage and past the police barricades, bullets flying past us. We easily escaped them, but they had squad cars after us. Plus i heard a helicopter in the distance. This wasn't gonna be fun at all.

" JayLa tell me what's going on." i said shifting into 4th gear.

" Zero, look you remember a long time ago when i went off to the service.? " she started.

" yeah, you were going to be in the special forces you told me."

" yeah, i was in the special forces...for a while."

" what's that supposed to mean, i know you dropped out after a few missions.."

" yeah, but i found other work...I..Look I'm a bounty hunter."

" what, a bounty hunter? What's wrong with regular work...WAIT!...what is your bounty that's gotten you into trouble."

" I ...uh...hmm..i had to..RELIEVE a dirty cop of his duties. So happens he had a few homies nearby." she explained.

I just looked at her. A bounty hunter. She was just using me for a front. That's why she had come back. That's why Malik was after her. That's why he's dead...It was all a set-up. I had figured out her whole scheme in the time i had went from 4th to 6th gear. I wish i hadn't though about it at all. The whole while we were talkin i had slowed down, and Duo had sped in front of me, finally getting the gearing together i guess. But then i saw another pair of lights, cop lights. They were catching up, quick. And the bullet the went through the back windshield confirmed my guess.

The squad car had pulled up close enough to try and fish-tail me . I grabbed my magsec and fired a few shots out the window, staving off his attempt.

" Well Ms. Bounty Hunter, you know what you can do?" i said sarcastically.

" what." she said rolling her eyes.

" Keep these cop off our ass, we have 4 cars coming up on us."


	10. Playing Hero

Chapter 10: Playing Hero

I pushed the NSX harder as the speedometer crept a little above 183 mph. I was about to top out in a few more seconds. I glanced into the rear view and saw lights still coming up behind me. what the hell did they have, lamborghinis ? The speedometer crept above 192 now, and they were still gaining. now i was worried.

" JayLa, they're still comin, what r you doin?" i asked catchin up to the group.

" i got it don't worry bout me, drive." she said producing a few grenades.

" where the hell you get those from?" i asked.

" A friend." she said simply.

" I'm still not convinced."

" i told you, i need things like this in my line of work." she said pulling the pin.

" HEY THROW THAT THING OUT!" i screamed, almost running in the back of Duo, we were slowing down.

" as you wish."

She threw the grenade out the window, and all i heard was a boom. That was it. no more sirens, no more radios, and no lights. I slowed down and turned to look at her, then i actually did run into Duo. He looked in his rear view and gave me the finger. I gave him the same reply. Me and JayLa rode in silence for a while before she said.

" Zero, i didn't wanna put all this on you ok,."

" well its a little late for that isn't it?" i said passing Duo and catching up to Heero.

" yeah, but i...look, i know you think i'm just using you as a front but i'm not. I just want you to understand this."

I already thought she was using me as a front, but hearing this come out her mouth made me think otherwise. I didn't know what to think at that moment. I was still reeling from snappin out in space, killing people in my apartment, and running from cops in my favorite 3 cars. It's been a helluva day.

"How do i know you're not just sayin this to me to get over on me man." i said lookin at her out the corner of my eye.

" because Zero, if i was just getting over on you, i would have left you to die in your apartment. I wouldn't have come back. because they knew i was staying with you." she said tears welling up in her eyes.

At that point i felt like a complete dick. Maybe i was wrong about her. Maybe she was different. Maybe. I peeped in the rear view and saw police lights again, but they were comming down at an angle. Couldn't be cars, and damn sure wasn't jets. Choppers. Shit.

" We got choppers on us, and they don't look like they're here for the news." I said speeding up again.

" Shit, you're right. Apaches." she said poking her head out the window

" no , you thought i was kidding?"

" no, i just didn't wanna believe it."

" ugh, well do you have something that can take out a chopper in you bounty hunter kit?"

" I'm a bounty hunter, not duke nukem." she said stiffly. smart-ass.

I pulled up to heero and rolled down the window.

" what" he said,

" we got some choppers chasing us, got anything?" i yelled

" nope, ask Duo or Trowa." he said slamming on the gas. smart-ass number 2.

I pulled back and yelled over to Duo. and sure enough, they had a stinger sitting in the back seat. Good ol' Duo. Alwayz prepared. They obviously was the choppers too. Quatre busted out the back window, and shoved the launcher through the opening. Sure enough the choppers got closer, not realizing that they were being targeted. Unfortunately one of the pilots got smart and fired a missile..straight at me! I saw it coming in the rear view mirror and swerved left at the last minute, almost losing control as the concussion blasted us forward, lifting the back ends of the cars. i pushed back agaisnt the steering wheel so i would bust my head open on the dashboard. Unfortunately JayLa's tiny ass went flying iinto it anyway. The STI was fine, since it was all-wheel-drive. Me on the other hand slowed down immediately, having a rear-wheel-drive car. Quatre managed to get a shot off, but it went wild and clipped the wing on one of the choppers. It was still flyable, and just as dangerous as an undamaged one. The speedometer read 93 as i downshifted a couple of gears. I had loss 100 miles worth of speed from that damn blast. That only meant one thing. They were not playing around, or they got a lucky shot in. Maybe both. Shit. JayLa peeled herself off the dash and looked at me

" we're in trouble aren't we?" JayLa asked as she put her seat belt on.

" yeah, we're in trouble." i replied doing the same.

" Zero, don't get us killed ok?" she asked as she sank into her seat.

This was the 1st time i had actually seen her afraid, of anything. It actually scared me. How the hell does a bounty hunter get scared.

" I won't." i said, attempting to reassure her. I was a fool.

I had no idea how i was going to catch up without getting killed in the process. Apaches can go up to 300 or so miles an hour i heard. We were going almost 200 when i spotted them. They've been playing with us the whole time. This was only target practice, and I wasn't liking this game at all. I put the petal to the floor and grabbed 4th gear, hoping that the plan i had just concocted will work. I figured if i can get JayLa out the car, i could make this one a bomb, and on this stretch of highway there is an off ramp that goes directly into an on ramp. A very steep onramp. A perfect jump...for someone that knew what they were doin. i.e. not me. The choppers behind us began firing their chain guns, trying to take us off the road, but i was already to fast for them. I dodged left and right as they strafed the highway attempting to target me, all the while gaining speed.

" JayLa you have to get out." i told her.

" what the hell do you mean i have to get out, are you crazy?"

" look ima catch up to Duo, and you have to get in the STI. I need this car as light as possible."

" so you calling me fat now?" she said getting an attitude.

" no damn it listen. I'm gonna make the car a bomb. Ima jump this ramp in a few miles, and blow it up."

" Zero this is crazy, you're no stunt man, and your not the lightest person in the world either."

" just do it, and give me something that goes boom." i said coming up on the STI's bumper.

She didn't argue with me, she didn't whine or cry, she did what i had said for once, and thats what i had needed. She pulled out the rest of her grenades, a flare and some blocks of some sort. C4 i could only imagine. I looked past her and pulled up to Duo's window.

" She's getting in, i have a plan." I screamed out the window

" WHAT! are you crazy?" he yelled back at me.

" yeah, i think so, just stay still and drive straight!" i said edging over towards the car.

I pulled closer and closer, till the i heard the sound of metal contacting metal. Quatre rolled down the window so she could get in.

"Zero, don't...just don't get hurt ok?" she said kissing me on the cheek.

"I'll try, i cant make any promises though." i said grimly. "if i dont make it, promise me that they'll take out that mobile suit. ok?"

"ok, i promise." she said tearing up. Crybaby, this was the most i've ever seen her cry in my life. or what was left of it.

I dont blame her. I think im going to die too. maybe it's for the greater good. maybe i was trying to play hero. I wouldn't know unless it worked and i survived. Tough chance on both chances. she put her legs into the other car and slid in easily. her tiny form fitting through the window. When she was safely in, i downshifted and grabbed 3rd gear, giving me and extra boost of speed, and pulled away from the subaru. I looked at her and the rest of the gundam pilots one last time as i gained speed. I reached over and connected the wires to the c4 and grabbed the detonator she had left me. No turning back now. I saw the exit approaching about a mile and a half away, and veered into the left lane, still managing not to get hit by the chain gun fire. i peeked into the back seat and saw that i had left my snowboard back there. It's might do me some good. Or not. I turned on cruise control and grabbed the snowboard, quickly trying to lock myself into the boots. I was running out of time, quickly. I'd be airborne in 15 seconds.

15 seconds: I threw the explosives in the back seat and grabbed me and JayLa's bags. Hopefully the weight of our stuff would drag me to the ground, instead of flying through the air wildly.

10 seconds: I steered onto the off ramp, and lost sight of everything. I was going on faith now. I strapped the bag to me and stood up through the sun roof, trying to steer the car with the snowboard. I looked up and saw the helicopters still firing, but not at me, at the STI. Good.

5 seconds: I looked down and hit the Nitrous button on the steering wheel sending me flying through the intersection and up the onramp at what seemed like light speed to me. I reached the end of the onramp and went rocketing into the air like an

F-14 on a catapult. I looked down and saw the STi and everyone looking at me . I looked back and saw the bewildered looks on the pilots faces. It was worth $1,000,000 dollars.

1 second: Steel Blue NSX, Flames coming from the pipes, flying 100 some odd feet in the air. It was a grand sight to see. I smiled and pressed the detonator.

0 seconds: ...


	11. 11a To Have Love and Lost

Chapter 11a: To Have Love and Lost...

JayLa's Point of View.

I stuck my head out the window, as Zero made the jump. Even though the darkness, i saw him hoist his body out the sunroof. I had a sinking feeling when i saw him look back , detonator in hand. My eyes met his as he pressed the detonator and the car exploded. I was blinded by the sheer magnitude or the blast. 6 blocks of c4 plus 3 hand grenades. makes a big ass explosion. The sonic-boom alone rocked the car hard enough to throw me into Quatre and send the car sliding sideways. We came to a screeching halt, as we all heard the sound of twisting metal and secondary explosions. His plan had worked. I tried to get out the car but Quatre wouldn't let me go. I wiggled out of his grasp and went for the handle, when the burning shell of the NSX landed beside us, missing us by inches. Duo pulled away from the burning wreckage and i jumped out the car.

" ZERO!" i called out to no one.

" JayLa, get back in the car, we gotta get out of here." Duo yelled out the window.

" No! We have to get Zero! He got out...didn't he?" i said.

Their silence told me all i needed to know because there was nothin else to say. Zero didn't make it out that car. Zero was dead. There was no changing that much. I heard something hit the ground behind me, i spun and ran to see what it was, Hoping it was Zero. But i was wrong. It was the 2 duffle bags he was carrying and what looked like remnants of the shirt he was wearing. One bag was noticeably mine. I looked in the other bag and found Zero's things. Guns, wallet, toiletries and alot of cash. I collapsed next to the 2 bags and sighed clasping the fabric of the shirt in my hands. I had got him into this, and i had gotten him killed. I had gotten him killed...

" I'm not gonna cry." i said silently to myself. " i will not cry."

The voice screaming inside me begged to differ. I suppressed the will to break down, grabbed the 2 bags, put the piece of shirt in my pocket, and walked back over to the car. Struggling with myself every step of the way.

" pop the trunk." i said through gritted teeth.

" JayLa look, i know you..." duo started

" i said pop the fucking trunk...now."

He popped the trunk and i threw the bags inside. Taking deep breaths while i was bent over inside. I had to keep my composure. Some way for a hardcore bounty hunter to act. He said that to me in the car earlier. Before we started this hellish car chase, before he blew himself up to make sure we get away. Shit. Before i had time to suck it up, tears came streaming from my eyes. I tried to grind my teeth and stop the tears from flowing but it just made matters worse. My knees started shake a little bit and i stood up, trying to shake it all off. Fortunately it worked. I closed the trunk and walked around towards the door. I stopped and looked back upon all the carnage that he caused. I was proud of him. I aint know he had it in him.

" I'm sorry Zero, I promise." i said looking over the wreckage of the NSX one last time.

" JayLa, cmon we still have to get out of here ok?" Quatre said softly.

" I know, im coming." i said getting in the car.

I shut the door and sank into my seat. I closed my eyes and tried to wipe the vision out of my memory. It didn't work, it just replayed over and over in my mind. and as much as i didn't want it to, it got to me. It hurt me inside. I wept silently in my mind, knowing that this wasn't like taking out a bounty. It was more like...losing Zero. Duo had resumed driving, trying to catch up to Heero and Wufei. We didn't have anymore law problems, but he still sped along. Pushing the tiny subaru above 140 mph. I didn't care. as long as we got where we needed to go, i was fine. He didn't slow down until we were safely out of city limits, with Heero's tail lights a few meters ahead. No one had said a word since then. I guess they were all affected as much as i was. Or maybe they didn't care. I don't know, but it didn't help to mope about it. It happened, the rest of us were safe. Everything was fine...on the outside. I pulled the charred fabric out of my pocket, and it surprisingly still smelled of him. I held it close to me, sniffing it as i rubbed it along my face. Like a baby with it's security blanket.

" is that the only thing you found?" Quatre asked snapping me back into reality.

" yeah, this is the only thing i saw, besides the bags." i said.

" I feel what you're going through right now, and i just wanna say i'm sorry. even if it helps or not.." Trowa said from in the front seat.

" Its ok Trowa, thank you though." I said about to tear up again. I quickly got myself together and put the fabric away.

I looked out the window and saw we were getting off the highway. We slowed to a stop at a red light. Duo rolled down the window and started yelling at Heero about not stopping or something. I ignored them both. I closed my eyes and leaned my head on the window. The cold surface felt good on my head, and that was good. It took away the feeling of feeling like shit at the moment. And that's exactly what i needed. I reached into my bag and pulled out ol' faithful. A flask given to me by Zero on our anniversary. I took a long sip of its contents. Which made me feel even better. Vodka: the problem solver.I screwed the cap back on and placed it back in the bag. I started to drift off little bit, still listening to Duo scream at Heero's ass. I was sleep before the light turned green.

I crawled out of bed, still kinda weak from our little encounter, and walked to the bathroom. I cleaned myself up and fixed my hair. He's gonna get enough of messin my hair up damn it...I walked back in the bedroom, and he watched me as i walked in front of the bed and crawled back into it. Getting back on top of him and laying my head on his chest. His hear was still beating kinda fast. Heheh, mama knows how to work it right. He wrapped his arms around me, and told me he loved me. I whispered into his neck, sayin i loved him too. I never wanted that moment to end...I never wanted to let go.

"JayLa, wake up. We need to ditch these cars." Duo said shaking me.

" you asshole, i hate you. i hate you so much." i said tryin to shake the dream off.

" yeah yeah, just get out, we have to hide these." Duo said accepting the insults.

I cursed him some more, kicked him in the shin and got out the car. He hopped back in and pulled the car in the garage next to the F50. I walk over towards Quatre and Trowa, standing next to a fountain. I looked around and figured out that we were in a rundown part of town. I'd say it was abandoned but there were still sounds of life emanating from the buildings around us. Life...Hmm..Shit i'm starting to act like him. It was late, very late. The sun started to peek over the horizon. A new day, but it didn't seem new to me. As funny as it sounds, everything felt alright. Even though i saw him go down with the ship. I think he's happy. If you can be happy in death..but maybe, just maybe. He could have made it. Who am i kidding. I'm just trying to comfort myself. I'll just have to move on. Life keeps moving and I have to also...


	12. Predator turned Prey

Chapter 12: Predator turned Prey

JayLa's Point of View.

I slept most of the day. Only getting up to eat and go back to the bathroom. i kinda distanced myself from the rest of the guys. I didn't wanna be bothered too much anyway. Around 4:00 i got up and made a couple phone calls. One of them to clear Zero's name. He had nothing to do with what happened last night, so i cleared his name of it. Sorta.. I called up my connect within the police department, explaining what had happened. I said that i had took him hostage, and he was killed by the police. He would have never went along with that. Zero hates the police for one, and two it sounds like he went out like a wimp. Regardless i cleared his name. He was a free man...in death and all. I called up Dolph, my bounty connect.

" What JayLa." he said picking up the phone.

" What you mean what, I'm calling for my next mission."

" Next mission? You didn't even complete this one right." he said laughing.

" How you figure? I shot the guy 4 times in the head, aint no way he survived." I said walking into the other room.

" No, you shot a decoy in the head 4 times. They were expecting you girlie. Someone was tracking you. It seems to me that your bounty hunting foul ups have put a bounty on your own head." he said shuffling some papers.

" There's a bounty on my head! How." I questioned him.

" Well your little escapade last night landed you on the news. and someone took the job. Not by my agency, but by Brandywine." he said

" Brandywine is probably still mad about me killing his son." i said rolling my eyes.

" I wouldn't doubt it. you killed his only son."

" you set up the assignment!"

" but you didn't have to take it."

" you're a dick man, you set me up." i said sitting on the edge of the couch.

" No you set yourself up. No im willing to help you, but its gonna cost you." he said getting down to business.

" cost me! I'm your best damn hunter and your charging me!" i yelled.

" that's how it works Jay-Jay you know that."

" don't call me that...shit...how much?" i said unwillingly

" Well since you screwed up last mission, and this one's gonna cost even more, im thinkin around eh...$750,000."

" you have got to be kidding me..Where am i going to get that?"

" Think about it, and call me with an answer. but hurry, he's already hot on your trail." and with that he hung up.

I looked at the phone for a second, and then put it away. It wasn't worth getting worked up over yet. Hence the word yet. I heard some of the pilots talking outside my door, something about a mobile suit. So, me being me, i eavesdropped on them.

" Are you sure that's what they said man?" Duo said.

" Yes, thats what they told me exactly, and it's been fitted with the Zero System." Heero replied.

" So are they gonna ship it to Zero's job?"

" i dont know, there still might be a chance that he's alive. I think he's just hurt somewhere. Out the rear-view, i saw him blown away from the car. I don't doubt that he's alive. but i can't say he's dead either." Heero admitted.

" So what are we gonna do with his Gundam?" Duo asked

" I dont know at this point. We'll just keep it on reserve for now, until we can find someone who can pilot it."

" what about JayLa, maybe she can do it? "

" i dont know, there somethin about her that isn't clicking to me, she's hiding something."

" but still, she's technically Zero's last remaining...well..person"

" yeah, but we have to clear it with the scientists 1st." he said.

So, that's what Zero was working on. A Gundam. Maybe...No that's wrong. But maybe, i can use that gundam to pay to get the mark off my head. It was wrong. but i couldn't get it and then die. Besides, i think Dolph would like something like that. I backed away from the door and thought everything over. I came to a conclusion that i would pilot the MS but if Zero is dead, then ill take it and use it to get the bounty off of me. A genius plan if i do say so myself. I lay back on my bed, and though about what they were saying. Maybe he was blown free of the car. Maybe he's just out there hurt somewhere. I didn't wanna think about it too much, but my mind kept wandering about it. A knock at the door brought me back to my senses as Trowa brought me in some McDonald's.

" Thought you might be hungry, I didn't know what you like, so i got you a lil bit of everything." he said sitting the bag on the table.

" Thanks Trowa, i was getting a lil hungry." i said.

" i'd be hungry if i slept most of the day too." he said smartly.

" haha funny, im going through alot right now ok?" I said putting on my pitiful face.

" i know, we all are. you just have to have hope. and pray that everything is ok, alive or dead." he said

" yeah you're right. " i said picking through the bag of goodies.

" well i'll leave you alone, i have a little bit of work to do." he said walking out the door.

I ate in peace for a while. Chugging down fries like there was no tomorrow. Hell there might not be one for me with a damn merc on my neck. Who knows. Suddenly my phone started ringing...Zero's Ringtone. I dropped the fries and reached for my phone. By the time i got my hand on the phone it had stopped ringing. I hurried and tried to call it back, but the answering machine had come straight on. it was dead. maybe i was trippin. maybe i was imagining it. hell, maybe my ass is goin crazy. Who knows yet again. Its possible. I'm still kinda traumatized. Kinda. Now i'm rambling, in my mind hmm...shit. i'm acting like him again. I let it go and picked up all the food i had dropped. It wasn't going to waste as hungry as i was. I might not get another chance to eat anyway, i thought shoving more fries in my mouth.


	13. A Big Misunderstanding

Chapter 13: A big misunderstanding.

JayLa's Point of View

A few more days pass and i hide in seclusion. I had no idea who was coming after me but all i knew that he was good, and he was coming. I stayed in my room for the most part, staying away from windows, and looking behind doors. I was paranoid. I knew what it felt like to be a hunter, but i sure didn't like being the hunted. It sucks. I finally grew some balls and decided to go and chill with the pilots. The Heist starts tonight. I walked out my room, which was a mess right now, and walked over to where they were. They were standing by a sheet covered mobile suit. Zero's gundam i suppose. They all looked at me as i approached them.

" well the dead do walk." Duo said smartly.

" haha very funny, what's going on guys?" i asked.

" nothin, we were just figuring out what to do with this thing" trowa said sticking a thumb at the MS.

" another Gundam?" i said acting like i didn't know about it.

" yeah, it's Zero's. That lil project he's been working on." Heero said leaning against it.

" oh so thats what he's been workin on for like the past 3 years?" i asked

" yeah, we just gave him a lil hand." duo said.

" Oh, i never saw it. I'm pretty sure, he'd think it was nice." i said smiling.

They nodded and put their heads down. They were still affected by it. I managed to lock it all down however. I was back to my normal, ruthless, bounty hunting self. And i felt damn good. Besides the whole paranoid part. Other than that i was cool. After a minute of silence, they all dispersed and went about their business. Perfect timing for me. I crawled under the sheet covering it and crawled up to the cockpit. I opened it and looked inside finding it to look like any other mobile suit. Typical. I closed the hatch and crawled down the side where i had entered, i wasn't outside of the sheet when.

" what do you think you're doin?" Duo said glaring at me.

" i was looking at the gundam, i..is something wrong?" i said in my girlie voice.

" yeah somethings wrong. We know who you are and what you do. So what are you doing looking at Zero's Gundam?" Trowa said crossing his arms.

" I was looking, that's it." i pleaded my case. They didn't believe me.

They both walked towards me, getting ready for a fight if need be.

" guys look, i really think we have a misunderstanding here." i said

" yeah, we misunderstood you being on our side." Duo said cracking his knuckles.

" you were going to try to steal the gundam, now we have to restrain you so you don't" trowa said

They were going to do more than restrain me, and i wasn't with it. They took a few more steps closer and i took one back, back against the gundam. I was stuck. Duo went to grab my hand and i gave him something to think about with a fore-fist to the face. He staggered back holding his nose, and then it was trowa's turn. He dashed towards me, with his shoulder down, and pinned me to the wall. Well, the leg of the ms. I brought both of my elbows up and slammed them down on the top of his head. It didn't affect him much. I cocked back and gave him a mean right, that sent him backing away. If they wanted a war they were gonna get one. At this point we were at a stand off. I still had a gun on my side, but had no intentions of using it. They on the other hand was edging towards theirs. I didn't like that. I dashed forward and drop kicked Duo in the chest, sending him flying back into one of the cars.

I hopped up and tried to spin kick trowa. he was quicker than i thought and caught me with a hook, makin my vision swim for a second. I recovered and gave him a high knee to the chest. I heard something crack as he fell to the floor. He had asked for it. Duo was back on his feet, mean mug all in place. He came at me, swinging left and right, but he was sloppy. I was dodging punches like i was a boxer. I stepped back and gave him a straight shot to the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He doubled over and started gasping for breath, bad idea. I heel dropped him on the top of his head and send him back to the ground. He might not get back up after that one, but trowa did. He came at me again, running full speed. I thought he was going to swing at me, but i was wrong. He plowed straight into me, ramming me into the mobile suit. Again. Then it was my turn to be gasping for breath. I lay on my hands and knees tryin to get my wind back, when and elbow came from above. I almost passed out when my face hit the pavement. It's been a long time since i tasted my own blood, and i didn't like it one bit. He had backed away to check on Duo, when i jumped up. Pissed. I touched my busted lip, and looked at my own blood dripping on the floor. Duo was back up, mean mug back on. Shit, these two keep getting up.

" you had enough yet?" i said wiping my mouth,

" no, but you will soon enough." duo said brushing himself off.

" look i told you, all of this is a misunderstanding, i just wanted to see it." i said back to them

" Highly unlikely, bounty hunter. You've been using zero from the start haven't you?" Trowa said straightening up

" just to get at us, steal a mobile suit. I wonder what kinda price it would fetch? Couple mil maybe." Duo said walking towards me again.

" Look you really don't wanna do this..."

i warned them again. but they kept walkin. Which only meant one thing. They weren't gonna get down...So they had to lay down. I spit somemore blood out my mouth and went back down in my stance. This wasn't going to end pretty. Trowa charged at me again, but this time i was ready. He was one step away from plowing into me, when i dropped down a swung my arm out to meet him. It landed right under his chin, makin him do a half backflip. Half, because he landed on the back of his neck. Duo came at me the same way, but i side stepped and tripped him up, making him plow into the already disoriented, trowa. They fell back to the floor and started scrambling to get back . I took advantage of the moment and tipped over a toolbox on top of them.

Unfortunately, Trowa got out the way and left Duo to suffer the impact. He sidestepped and started to charge me again, he came swingin this time. He swung left and i blocked it, attempting to counter with the right, but he blocked it. I brought my knee up, and he blocked it, i swung left and he blocked it, i swung right and he blocked it. So i backed away. He was playin smart this time, but he made one mistake. He dropped his guard to pull up his pants. I jumped forward and planted my foot on the side of his head. He folded up and fell to the ground. Not moving. But then i fucked up, I forgot about Duo. He took me down with a sweep, and tried to heel drop me. I caught his foot and reversed it into an ankle lock. He flipped over and I sat on his back, foot still in hand. I twisted it somemore and he started to yell. I brought my hand down hard, against the back of his neck. Problem solved. Mission Accomplished. I stood up and brushed myself off, still tasting the blood from my lip. I looked at both of them, still not moving. They weren't gettin up this time.

I'm surprised no one heard all this commotion going on, with us fightin, screamin and all. They must have left, because the STI was gone. Good. I ran to my quarters and grabbed my personal belongings. There was no way i was gonna get a gundam out of here in broad daylight. I was stuck. Duo and Trowa knew, I couldn't just leave them and the gundam here. Then i'd never get it outta here. They'd have this place locked down tighter than the white house. I had to figure somethin out, cuz the other pilots wouldn't be gone for too much longer.


	14. The Enemy of My Enemywas My Friend

Authors Note:

Yeah I stole the author's note thing from you Buggi. So what, do somethin about it!!! I did this because i got a note from someone tellin me that i didn't own the gundam charters and blah blah blah. Of course I dont, numbskull. Sheesh. So all credits go to the gundam owner i.e-not me, and I own Zero, and partially (but not by much) own JayLa, all other characters are fictional and might not even exist...I don't know...they might..? Anyway, it's been a long time, but here it is, Chapter 14! Kids, don't try any of this at home.

Chapter 14: The Enemy of my enemy..was my friend.

JayLa's Point of View

I had concocted a fool-proof plan if you ask me. I had to drag Duo and Trowa to the backroom, so no one would see em. I grabbed some chain from the storage room and tied their asses up. I dropped a little fairy dust on them so they would be up for a while. I moved them over to a steel beam and secured them to it. They wouldn't be going no where. Ok one problem solved, i told myself. I locked them in the room and walk back out to the front, making sure nothing looked out of place. I cleaned up where we were fighting and looked over at Zero's gundam. I really didn't wanna do what i was about to do, but at this point i didn't have a choice.

i grabbed my bounty hunter's kit and climbed up into the cockpit. I closed the hatch and activated the system. It was fairly simple, even though i had never piloted a mobile suit before. I opened the time and date setting and chose to activate the gundam at 6 pm. I grabbed my frequency splitter and hooked it up to the main control input. From there I input a location for the gundam to relocate to. From my control switch, i could locate where it is, choose to move it or self-destruct it. I just hope it wouldn't be that serious. I finished my work and climbed out of the cockpit, sliding down the leg and closing the hatch by remote. I ran and finished getting my things. I had to hurry and get out of here. I made sure i had the gundam's remote all my gear and guns, and i put it all in the F50. I looked to see if the keys were still in the ignition. They weren't, shit. I looked on the desk not to far from the car and found them in the 2nd drawer. No hot-wiring today. I jumped in the car and started it up. I got a chill as i caught a scent of him still in the car. Zero. No, i couldn't start acting like this now, but i couldn't ignore it. I sat there for a second just thinkin bout him. I felt weak, i felt scared, but i had to put that all aside. I had a job to do, or i was gonna die. I grabbed my cell phone and called Dolph.

" yes Jay-Jay, " he said answering the phone.

" look you bastard, how much would a gundam fetch me?" i said to him

" a gundam huh, hmmm, how'd you get your hands on one of them, the are only but so many.?"

" look tell me the numbers, now." i said getting agitated, i didn't need this shit right now.

" well it'll cover you $750,000 and then some, alot of some." he said shuffling some papers.

" well get the cash ready, im transporting it a 6."

" i never knew you knew how to pilot one."

" i don't but i had to learn under the circumstances. speaking of, What do i need to get this bounty off me?"

" well thats gonna cost a bit more."

"how much more Dolph, don't screw me on this."

" i'll crunch the numbers, and ill see you when you get here, how does that sound?" he said with a lil bit of humor in his voice.

"ill see you in a couple hours. bye." i said hanging up the phone.

I shifted into 1st gear and drove around the warehouse, to the exit. I pulled out into the street and speed down the street in the fire red ferrari. 'Money on my mind', was playin in the cd player. 'That's for damn sure' i said to myself gettin on the highway. I had to secure the clearing where the gundam was going to land, before i even went to see Dolph's ass. Bastard. He's the whole reason i'm in this shit. I have good mind to put a bullet in his head. I contemplated all that as i pushed the ferrari above 80 miles an hour. Slow for this car, but i wasn't trying to get a ticket today. not at all. I had to stay out of sight from the police anyway. I already know they had an APB out on me. So speeding in this thing does not seem too smart..I slowed the car down to the normal 65 miles an hour and cruised to where i was going. I had input a specific location on the GPS for the gundam to land and deactivate. It was a small clearing in the woods i usually went to 'silence' some of my contracts. Far out, isolated, perfect. The noise only carries but so far. It shouldn't carry at all, but i have a habit of not wanting to use silencers. I like the sound of my guns. Quick, loud, complete. I love the recoil, i love the flames that shoot from the barrel, i love the smell of blood, splattering on my boots. Grotesque, yes, but efficient , and makes money. I chose the left main st. exit and veered on to the off ramp.

I turned onto the familiar country road and headed east, toward the forest. 'At least on the country roads i could exceed the speed limit.' I said to myself. I stepped on the gas and accelerated down the unpaved road, kicking up dirt and gravel as i flew past cows and farms. I shifted into 4th gear and checked my watch. 5:45, good. I would be in the clear in about 30 more minutes. I was only about 20 minutes away, so i slowed down again, just to waste time. Still being in that car made me think about Zero. He was gone, but damn sure not forgotten. I couldn't get him off my mind, let alone the guilt off my mind. There was a deep sadness that i couldn't get away from, just-a-eating away at my conscience. All my fault was it's label. I have to move on, and i will move on. I told myself. Besides i had a job to do. I can't afford to get sidetracked. I threw my cares to the wind as i hammered the gas pedal to the floor.

"Fuck the cops," I said to myself " if they catch me, i'll kill 'em".

Not too much longer after that i reached my destination. My tranquil, yet still bloody, location. I looked at my watch and smiled. Party time. "The gundam should be on it's way here, I have to get the plates changed on this car if i'ma keep it, and damn i need a shower." I rambled to myself. At that second, i caught a brilliant idea. I could get the gundam, kill Dolph's ass, Destroy the brandywine agency, and get this merc of my back. As evil as it sounded, i loved it. It's about time i started working for myself anywayz. I sat and waited for the gundam to land, carving some shit into the bark of a near-by tree. Wasting time. I stopped and looked at my masterpiece. ' JayLa: Queen and Pwner of all ' Yeah i liked it. Loved it, as a matter of fact. I turned my head to the sky as i heard a noise in the distance. Sounded a lot like afterburners, but i knew better. That was the gundam approaching. "right on time." i said to myself...The shot came out of nowhere.

Silencer, compressed barrel. might as well been a bird chirping in rush hour traffic. I fell to the ground and scurried behind the tree. I looked at the new 50 cent piece sized hole in my shoulder. I quickly covered the wound and applied pressure so i wouldn't lose alot of blood.

" That was a warning shot Jayla, i won't miss again!" the voice came from the other side of the clearing...

I knew the voice...Tetsuo, the greatest sniper I've ever known. The only sniper for the Brandywine Agency. We go way back, now that i think about it. He was the 1st person to teach me how to pwn with a sniper rifle. We had also at one time, been intimate. what can i say, i like to get around.

" Tetsuo? you took the job against me? I thought we were friends?!" I yelled over in the direction i thought he was.

" yeah, we were, but 13 million changes who your friends are, i have mouths to feed. just come out so we can make this quick."

Another fired again and a chunk of the tree just disappeared.

" Are you still using that pussy-ass particle beam rifle?" I yelled back again." Old fashioned Lead is the best way to go, isn't that what you taught me?"

" Jayla, let's not get to attached. The only way I'm leaving this clearing is with one of us dead, and basically I think i have a lil bit of leverage over you."

As if on cue, the gundam came out of active camouflage and began it's landing descent. All my guns were in the front seat of the car, and from the looks of things, it looked like the gundam was going to land on it.

While i thought he was distracted I vaulted from behind the tree to the car. Guess he wasn't distracted as i felt the heat of the beam zoom past my neck. I jumped in the car and tried to start the engine, when i saw him stand up...I ducked to the side as the windshield exploded and sent glass everywhere. The back of the seat was non existent. I grabbed whatever guns i could and booked back behind the tree. By this time the gundam had landed directly beside the F50, perfect cover. I checked my inventory: Glock 40, Browning Hi-Power, Sawed-Off shotgun, M-4 Carbine. All fully loaded. Great. Not against a sniper of course, but it was better than nothin.

"C'mon Jayla, I'm gettin tired over here." Tetsuo said taunting me, and he knew I hated it.

I grabbed the M-4 and stuck the butt of it out in the open. Not half a second later 3 shots rang out, and i brought it back with 3 holes in the stock.

" Oops, thought that was you!" he laughed from across the clearing.

"wow, you've really gotten full of yourself haven't you?" I said positioning myself on the other side of the tree.

" yeah, having a 250 to none kill ratio does that to you."

We were still at a stalemate. I couldn't move. He couldn't shoot me. It had almost been an hour since I had been shot, and the wound hurt more and more by the second. " you tired yet?" I yelled across the clearing. " I can go 105 hours without sleep, Not nodding at all." he said back. Deep inside i knew it was true, and it scared me. The gundam was still standing there, powered down, towering over the tree and the entire field. "It almost makes it not worth it." I said to myself. Then i had a brilliant Idea. If i wait until nightfall, I could engage active camouflage and sneak out. Knowing that he has a night vision scope, I would stand behind on of the legs, and when he fired I'd know exactly where he is. Brilliant. It was already 7:10, and night was approaching slowly but surely. All I had to do was wait some more. And I did. 8:00 came around and it was pitch black, besides the stars and the moon. By this time, I had already nursed my wounds and was ready to initiate my plan.

"God, I hoped this works." I said as i pulled the pins on the 3 smoke grenades.

I lobbed them from behind the tree and listened to the explode and expel white smoke. I counted to ten and ran behind the gundam. Tetsuo was losing his cool from what i heard. Hearing shot after shot ping of the side of the F50 and the gundam. When the smoke was fully deployed: about 5 minutes later. I activated the active camo, and stood in my position. My plan was, that when the smoke cleared, He would see me with the M-4 pointing towards the forest, but i would actually be behind the gundam safe, and when he fired, he was mine. It actually didn't take that long, He fired 2 shots, one for the heart and one for the head. Too bad they just deflected off the gundam, and too bad i saw where he was.I stepped from behind the leg and unloaded when i saw the beam come from. I felt the clip empty, and the slides come back. Silence. Very Hard to believe silence, but silence nonetheless. I took this time to run and get into the gundam, while i still had the chance. I hit the button on my remote to let down the ripcord, so i could get into the cockpit. I t slowly came down, almost dramatically .

I grabbed a hold of it and tugged twice on it. It retracted at the same speed it came down, sickeningly slow. I passed the waist and the cockpit hatch opened. I reached for the rail and was damn near blinded. I started to lose my grip suddenly, and almost instinctively , my other arm shot up and grabbed the rail. I was hit again in the thigh as i struggled to pull myself up. I started screaming almost uncontrollably. Tetsuo wasn't dead, maybe hit, but far from dead. And at this point he had figured out my plan. I was hit again in the same shoulder, and i pulled myself in the cockpit and closed the hatch, a beam hitting the side of the seat as i did so. I tried as fast as i could to activate the gundam, when i suddenly went rocking back and forth. I activated the outside viewing screens, and saw a trail of smoke comming from the woods. He had used an RPG on me, but at this point it was too late for him. I used all the power i had left to raise the arm of the gundam, and squeezed the handle. I could only imagine his terror as the thick beam on energy tore through the forest, vaporizing everything in its path. I let go of the controls, and everything went in to passive mode. Hell at this point it might have been too late for me. I felt a little bit woozy, and notice i was losing blood all over again. Weak. Alot more than when i was 1st shot. I tore off my shirt and made make-shift tourniquets, to stop the bleeding all over again. I patched myself up again, and tried to focus on my next move, when my cell phone rang...Zero's ring again..I fumbled through my pockets and quickly answered it before it stopped ringing.

" WHO IS THIS!!!" I screamed into the receiver.

"Woman! Who are you yelling at?! Where are you!!" That familiar voice yelled back at me.

" ZERO?!?" I dropped the phone in bewilderment. Then..blackness


	15. 11b The Reunion

Chapter 15-11b: The Reunion.

Zero's Point of View

5 days earlier...

I awoke in a weird, yet comfortable place. There was a burning barrel nearby and from somewhere i heard construction equipment.. I tried to sit up but felt blinding pain, and hands reached to lay me back down again. Ugh.

"whoa guy, You don't need to move anytime soon." A voice said.

"Jamie, get some fresh water, and some food." another said.

Smacking everyone's hands away, I struggled to sit up, but succeeded. I looked at my surroundings and was almost surprised. I was laying on a mattress in a storm drain. A small girl, handed me a bottle of water and a small bag of chips. I refused the chips but gratefully took the water. After I murdered the entire bottle, I looked up at, who i can only guess saved me.

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Well, home to us. Under I-386 in your standards." The man said

"My standards, home..oh, you guys are homeless?" i said finally catching on.

"Yeah you could say that, I'll just say going through rough time." He said with a chuckle,

"How, when...wait, Where's Jayla and the others?" I asked, my mind going in circles.

"We didn't find any others,Last night we heard a loud ass boom, and then a few seconds later, you landed in the sewage ditch."

"SEWAGE DITCH!" I yelled and started to just up, but the pain kept me seated.

"Don't worry, my wife and my daughter cleaned you up, and gave you somethin to wear."

At this time i had just noticed i had clean clothes on, and i was covered in makeshift bandages. I was grateful for that much.

"Who's..?"

"Mine," he said "Lucky you, we wear the same size." he chuckled again.

"Yeah," i tried to laugh, but i was still in pain.

"yeah buddy you might wanna take it easy, that was a pretty bad ass explosion." Someone else walked up.

"Hey, this is Jeb, he's the one that carried you out of the ditch."

"Hey thanks man," i tried to extend my hand but didn't get far.

"don't worry about it." he said kindly " do unto others.."

"what you'd like done for yourself," I finished the sentence . He nodded and smiled.

"So, what's your name guy?" the man kneeled down beside me.

"Zero, that's all i really can remember at this time, heh." i said sitting back again.

"Fair enough, I'm Frank, Frank Zappa."

"Frank Zappa?"

"No, relation."

"ahh.."

"and this is my wife Vivian, and my daughter Jamie, and you just met Jeb." Frank said.

"ahh again..wait...where are my clothes?" i asked

"you mean what's left of them, your clothes burned off in the explosion. but we do have what's left of your pants over the, jamie go get them."

"ok dad" the little girl said.

She came back shortly with my tattered remains of jeans, and handed them to me, I fumbled through the pockets and found my essentials: Wallet, Cell Phone, Checkbook, Money. I suddenly felt tired again, but i ignored it. I ventured to my feet and everyone took a step back. I managed to stand up straight, in pain, but that didn't matter. I just the essentials in my pocket and walked up toward the highway.

"nothin much left up there but wreckage." Frank said,

"yeah i know, i just wanna see what happened to my favorite car." i said sadly

I climbed the grass median and made it up to highway level. Frank was right. Nothing but wreckage. What was left of the chopper, and the charred shell of my once-beautiful NSX. I almost cried, seriously. About $100 grand. I sighed and looked at it one last time as the bulldozer pushed it off to the side of the road. I reluctantly walked back down the median, to where i was stationed at the time. Frank met me at the bottom.

"kinda sad, huh?" he asked.

"yeah, a waste off $100,000 dollars." I said back.

"must be nice," he said almost under his breath.

"yeah, uh, about that. Not to get personal or anything, but how exactly did your family..uh.."

"end up here?"

"yeah, "

" well, I had a good job, me and my wife. She was head nurse at Erlanger General Hospital, and I was an Engineer at the Peacecraft Mobile Suit Development Office. Well, She ended up getting laid off, and I had to work twice as hard to maintain the household. Then, The Development office downsized, and i was one of the 50,000 of the people shipped out. After our accounts went dry, we didn't make enough to relocate to the colonies where we had family. So we lost the house, and the cars, and we really had no other place to go. so we made camp here. and we been here ever since."

"Damn..how long have you been here?"

"going on about 3 months, but its somewhat comfortable, under the circumstances." he said putting his head down. " I'm just looking for another big break. Get my family outta here. Out of this hell hole."

"I'm sorry..i..that's all i can really say.."

" I understand, most people really can't relate to this type of thing."

"no kidding..i mean..yeah, but regardless, you and your family are safe. And that's what really matters right?"

"yeah, you got a point there...Well let's get back, you need to get some more rest."

"yeah you're right about that one. I still hurt all over." i said attempting to stretch. Didn't work out to well.

"C'mon guy let me help you" he said grabbing me under one arm.

He helped me back down under the overpass, and back to the mattress where i currently resided. I laid back down, and rested some more, not that it was gonna help me or not. I didn't even know if JayLa or the gundam pilots were safe. Well... I was more concerned about JayLa actually. I picked my phone out of my pocket and noticed that is wasn't on. I guess the blast knocked it out. I turned it on and noticed that i had low battery power, not only that, it was a tad bit waterlogged. Classic. I dialed her number on the half working thing, and i was surprised that it connected. I listened to it as it rang, but all i got was her voicemail.

"damn," i said aloud.

"what's wrong?" Vivian asked walking over.

"nothin, i was hoping to get and answer, but no dice."

"oh, sorry"

"it's fine, maybe she's just sleeping."

"it's always good to have hope."

"yeah, your right." i replied, putting the phone back in my pocket." It's starting to get dark out. I'ma try to get some shut eye."

"yeah, you need to get more rest."

"yeah, everyone keeps telling me that."

"Frank huh," she said

"yeah, but you guys are right." I said laying back down.

"well call me if you need anything ok?" she said walking away,

"will do." I said pulling the blanket over me.

It was only about 4 or 5, but I was still exhausted. I guess being blown up, and surviving does that to you. I closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep. i guess i was more sleepy than i thought, because i instantly started drifting off. I was thinking of JayLa as i ventured towards the light realm of unconsciousness. Then blackness hit me.

" hey you." someone said, i turned to look but i saw nothing but blackness.

"who's that?" I asked a little bit afraid.

Out of the darkness came 2 people, two people that looked somewhat like ghosts, two people that i recognized immediately.

"Mom...Dad?" I gasped,

"Yep, how ya been son?" My father asked me.

"how...how.."

"Well we saw that you were having a hard time, and decided to pay you a little visit. Nice place you got here. Whoa, must have been a hell of a party."

"what."

I looked around and saw that i was back in my apartment, and it was still full of dead bodies..

"Um, I can explain wha.."

"no need, we were here when it happened." My Mother said to me.

"but..I still feel somewhat bad that i had to do this." i said sadly,

"don't be, you protected yourself and you protected the ones you love." dad said. "especially this one."

Suddenly a giant full body picture of JayLa appeared. Guns blazing, yet still beautiful.

"Looks like you found a keeper, son." Dad said whistling

"yeah, she's a cute one." Mom added.

"yeah, but she's...i don't know about her. She just used me as a front, thats how all bounty hunters are."

"yeah, I'll agree with you on that but let me show you something."

Everything went into a blur, and if were flying through time. and it stopped in an aerial view as I was in mid air, about to detonate the bomb. Then..BOOOM! the car and the chopper exploded into pieces. The STI stopped as the shell of the NSX fell right beside it. JayLa jumped out of the car, and started screaming my name. She started yelling at someone hanging out the window. She ran to the burning wreckage of my car, and collapsed. From the looks of things she was crying. She had grabbed from what it looked like, what was left of my shirt, and burst into tears. The scene blurred out again, and i was in darkness once more.

"does that look like someone that's just using you as a front?" mom asked.

"no not...but..no, it doesn't" i replied.

"well son, trust me. Don't let her go, and don't let anything happen to this one. Word from the higher ups is, you two are made to be together." dad said

"higher ups...you mean?"

"yeah, HIM."

"but how.."

"We were sent to talk to you, and let you know not to give up yet. Things are coming that are going to be hard, and they are going to be trying, but do not give up. Don't falter, and start going to church more." Dad said

I almost laughed. That was the side of dad i remembered most, loved to joke around. I suddenly how much i really missed them, and before i knew what was going on, My mother had me in her chest, wiping my face.

"Don't cry baby, everything is fine where we are. No pain no suffering? It's..well Heaven." she said holding me.

"but..i can't..Why did it have to be this way? Why didn't you visit me before? why did this happen. Why did you leave me alone?" i said between sniffles

"We didn't want to leave you Zero but you can't argue with HIS plan." she said holding me closer.

"we never left you, we've always been here, throughout these 8 years. You just never realized it." dad added.

Suddenly i felt mom release me and the started to dissipate and float away.

"what's going on?" i asked chasing after them

"it's time for us to return, our time is done here." dad said turning away "remember what we said."

"and never forget, we have always and will always love you." mom said doing the same. "now go and clean you're house, it's filthy, i didn't raise you that way.

"Hey NO! I still have things i wanna..."

"Tell you.." I said sitting up,

"tell me what?" Frank said walking over.

2 Days earlier...

It was light out again. I could hear cars flying past on the highway overhead. I could only guess it was morning.

"Nothing, what time is it?" I asked Frank,

"eh, about 8:30 i take it, rush hour traffic just ended." he said looking up. "but, you've been sleep for 3 days. We were afraid to wake you man."

"wha?..o rly?" I said sitting up, shaking the stiffness out of my bones.

"yeah, it was kinda scary, it was like you were in a coma. I guess you needed to get that 'i just got blown up and i need rest sleep'." Frank said laughing.

"yeah, i think its about that time to get up, I need to try to make my way home." i said sitting up

"Oh, well, I'll see if Jeb can get you a ride,"

"no, it's fine. I need to do some walking. I got alot to think about." i said back

" I see, well, It was nice meeting you, Zero." He said extending his hand.

I shook his hand and gave him a hug

" thanks, for taking care of me." I said, and i secretly slipped something into his pocket that i wrote last night. " tell your wife and daughter I said thank you also."

I let him go, and started to make my way to the hill leading back to the highway. I looked back and saw him watching me walk away. I waved bye to him one last time and continued walking.

"oh Frank? Check your left jacket pocket when you get a chance. " i said climbing the steep hill.

I was already too far away to hear him say anything back, but i did hear a loud 'Oh my god'. That was good enough for me, and a check for $150,000 was good enough for him too , i suppose. I made it to the highway and I embarked on my journey back home. I jumped the median and started walking. Thinking at the same time. Thinking about the pilots. Thinking about what my parents said in the dream. Thinking about JayLa..I wanted to call her, but deep inside, i knew that i didn't need to. She was fine. I found out that she was tougher than i thought. So i wouldn't worry about it until later. I just kept walking.

2 hours later i made it back to my street. I stopped and looked up at my apartment in the sky. I almost didn't wanna go in but i did. I walked down the ramp to the parking garage and waved to the attending guard. He looked at me strangely but waved back. I didn't know what o think about that but i paid it no mind. I walked to the elevator and pushed the button that my crib was on. The doors shut and I was lifted to my floor. I prepared myself for whatever was about to happen as the doors opened. The hallway was completely empty. I was a lil to tense, but i had reason to be. I didn't know what awaited me as i made my was to my chamber door. I walked in front of the door and turned the handle. I pushed the door open to find my apartment completely...clean. I cocked my head to the side as I looked at house perfectly fine. It was like nothing even happened.

All the walls had been spackled and repainted, covering the bullet holes. Even my books were back in perfect condition. It kinda felt like the twilight zone.. I walked back toward my room looking at all my pictures still hanging up. I walked past my guest bathroom and saw that it was still in working order, then i made it into my room. Clean. Even my bed was made. Excellent. JayLa must have made a call, expecting that i was still alive. Good Girl. So she was thinking about me. Hmmm... I walked to my bathroom, and immediately hopped in the shower. I disrobed in almost 3 seconds, anxious to get that hot water running over me. It felt almost like heaven, besides the fact that i was just water, and JayLa wasn't here with me. I washed myself furiously, after remembering that i landed in a sewage ditch. I peeked out and looked into the mirror to make absolutely sure that i was covered in suds, the i broke out the shampoo. I could only imagine myself washing like a madman and i laughed, remembering an episode of comic view. I reluctantly washed myself off and got out of the steamy goodness. I toweled off and reapplied all my bandages, afraid to get an infection or something like that. Hey, I survived an explosion, I wasn't going to die of gangrene . It was only around 12, but i was still in recovery.

"So to bed with me." I said to myself.

I climbed in my comfortable bed and closed my eyes. Then i got back up and armed myself..just incase. I climbed back in be and re-closed my eyes. It wasn't long before I drifted off into the comfortable darkness of sleep..

"oh god, not this again." I said in the echoey darkness. " what now.."

"What? I thought you'd be glad to see us again?" my Father said to me.

"yeah, but last time we spoke, I spent 3 days sleeping." I said crossing my arms.

"yeah, I'm guessing this is how this whole thing works." Mom said.

"ok, so..not to be short, but what is it now?"

"The Mysterious Mobile Suit." my dad said.

"what about it?"

"you mustn't go after it." mom said

"excuse me?"

"you heard the woman," my dad said sternly.

"what do you mean don't go after it?"

Everything got blurry again and the picture shifted to this gigantic space battle. I saw the original gundams, plus 2 new ones. It was an absolute melee..There were at lease 30 mobile dolls, and then i saw it. Just standing amidst the chaos. Beam sword blazing. Then the picture shifted again, this time to the inside of my suit.I could hear everyone's frantic voice over the radio as i fought my way towards it. I looked at my monitors and saw the suit blazing towards me...Just like the dream I had. The beam lanced forward, and whiteness...

"what does the whiteness mean." I asked.

"We don't know exactly, but it could only mean one of two things." dad said

" It's either, 1: you die, or two: he's not letting us see what happens." mom said.

"So that means, i could live, right?"

"theoretically."

"theoretically? theoretically, I shouldn't be able to be talking to you."

"true."

"so why do you assume this..?"

They started to float away again. Great.

"Is this going to happen evertime i ask too much?" i asked, not chasing them this time.

"most likely," dad said "stop asking so many questions.."

"Ha dad, HA!" i said sarcastically. " wait, when am i gonna wake up?"

"This time you will wake up in your correct time...just 2 days later!" Dad said laughing.

" AWW C'MON!!" I woke up screaming.

Current Date: 2 Days Later

I jumped up, feeling stiff all over again..Then reached for the gun that wasn't there, and pointed to the person that I really didn't expect to see there.

"Looking for this?" Heero said twirling my gun on his index finger.

"how..wha...time. How did you get in here?" I said shaking off my 2nd encounter with the spirit world.

"Door was unlokced, plus you were snoring like a hog. We heard you when we got out the elevator." Quatre said walking into the room.

"So...what are you doing here? How did you know that I'd be here?"

"We didn't, we decided to stop by to see what we could dig up on some of the dead people that aren't here anymore." heero said leaning against the wall. " here, catch."

"What time is it?" I said catching my MagSec, Heero returned to me.

"round 7:45ish." Quatre said checking his watch

"your watches is off, it's 8:02." Wufei said walking in the room.

As if on cue, the phone started ringing. Heero looked at it and answered it.

"yeah...You what?..how the hell did that happen?...she what?"

At that moment, I saw the unbelievable. Heero actually started laughing.

"THAT'S NOT FUNNY ASSHOLE!!" I heard Duo scream over the phone.

"ok ok..hehe. Oh, Zero's alive, we're on the way...I'll be sure to tell him that...ok, get out of those chains and get on the road...Track it and i'll meet you there...ok bye."

He hung up the phone and chuckled to himself.

"What's so funny?" Me and Quatre asked.

"It turns out that JayLa kicked Duo and Trowa's ass, and stole Zero's gundam." he chuckled some more.

"wow, I'm so rubbing that in their face, when we get back." Wufei said.

"Oh, and Duo said, he's glad you're alive, but he's kicking you and you woman's ass when he sees you."

"oh god, where's my cell phone."

I found my cell phone and dialed her number hoping to get an answer this time.

"WHO IS THIS!!" She screamed into the receiver.

"Woman! Who are you yelling at?! Where are you!!" I yelled right back at her..

" ZERO?!?" I heard her gasp, and then the line went dead..

"Great..can you guys track my gundam?"

"didn't you just hear me tell Duo to start doing that?" Heero said looking at me funny.

"look, I've been blown up, taken care of by homeless people, had 2 encounters with my parents that i don't even wanna talk about. can you not give me lip right now?" i said with a lil bit of attitude, looking at him.

"Alright..Let's get going." He said walking out the room.

I got my essentials and an extra clip for the MagSec. At least i knew she was ok, somewhat. I just had to figure out, what the hell is she up to. I locked my place up and we traveled down to the garage.

"here, you drive, it's you're car." Heero said throwing me the keys.

"don't mind if i do." i said catching them and getting in.

I put the key in the ignition and started the car. The attendant let me out and I made my way, as fast as i could towards the highway.

"i just hope that girl is ok." I said to myself as i shifted into third gear.


	16. Lost and Found

Chapter 16: Lost and Found

We tracked the gundam to a remote location way out into the country. It was almost pitch black when we reached the exact location.

"This is it, stop." Heero said as the GPS started beeping.

I pulled to the side of the road as Duo and Trowa zoomed up behind us. I got out the car and looked around. No Gundam, No JayLa. Duo and Trowa got out the car looking haggard as hell.

"whoa, she put a hurtin on you huh?" i said laughing.

"Zero, as good as it is to know you're alive, I could fuckin kill you right now." Duo said angrily.

"Same goes for me." Trowa said groaning as he leaned against the F50.

"So where is the gundam?" Quatre asked.

"umm, good question." i said

" over there." Wufei said pointing towards the clearing.

I walked in the direction he was pointing for a couple yards and saw a flashing red light. I moved in closer and found out that it was the GPS Signaler. I sighed and picked it up. She ran off again. I studied the signaler and dropped it, somewhat angry. Then i noticed a note laying beside it. It had my name written on the front of it along with a couple drips of blood.

Zero:

Look I'm happy you're alive and all, but I think this is when we need to call it quits. As you probably already know, I cleared your name, and its safe for you to go about normal life. That's alot more than i can say for myself. I now have alot of people gunning for me, and its just not safe for us to be together. So, I had to be out, for the safety of both of us. Don't try to contact me, because i know you will, because some people are going to try and track my location and i really can't afford that. And I'm sorry you never got to see your new gundam. I kinda need to use it, and just so you know. this thing is bad ass. I totally pwned this sniper that had been sent out to kill me with the huge buster rifle that you had designed. I didn't think it was gonna work, you design, but i guess those gundam makers are some bad dudes..wait. So, i guess i don't have anything left to say, except I'm sorry and...well I love you boy. Take care of yourself, and don't worry about me. I'll be fine, ok? I'll contact you once its safe, but no telling when that'll be. So..you can move on if you wish, cuz I don't know if I'll be coming back.

I'll Love You Always.

JayLa.

"What did you find Zero?" Trowa said walking over,

"Nothing," i said kinda sadly.

"She ran off with the gundam and is never coming back is she." Heero said flatly.

"...yeah..c'mon guess, lets get outta here." i said walking back to the car.

I got in the car and started the engine again. Somewhat in disbelief. After what my parents told me, she was gone again. Most likely never to return. Everyone got in the car and I drove back towards my apartment building. It was an almost silent ride back to the crib. With reassurances that they'd make me another gundam, and there's more fish in the sea, but i really wasn't listening. All i wanted to do is go back home and get back to sleep. No, a nice hard drink would do. I pulled back into the garage and parked the car. Duo parked in the spot on the side of me. We all got out and walked toward the elevator .

"Zero, you cool?" Duo asked.

"yeah, i'm alright, i said as i pressed the button and summoned the elevator.

"you really sure?" Quatre said putting his hand on my back.

"Yeah, I'm really fine, now move the hand or lose it." i said kinda overly mean.

He moved his hand and the elevator doors opened. We got in and i pressed my button. The doors closed and we moved up the shaft. I kinda thought it would always be this way, the gundam pilots and their mechanic. The Team. I guess this is how it would be from now on. The doors opened, and we all walked to my door. I unlocked all my usual locks and walked in. It wasn't as soon as i dropped my keys in the bowl, that i was at my mini bar almost drowning myself in rum. The pilots said nothing...they joined in. We all were drunk by 11:30, and then we drank some more.

"ya know, I'm kinda glad she's gone." i said to Duo.

"yeah, she was nothing but bad news."

"Amen to that." Trowa added.

"hey, i just made the call. They said they would have another gundam done in about 2 1/2 years." heero said walking in the room.

"you act like that's right around the corner." I said back.

"hey, we already had a jump start one one, before that bitch of a girlfriend of yours stole it." he retorted.

"yeah, you're right, eh..well i have to go to work in the morning, being that I'm still alive and all. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

I got up from my bar stool and stumbled back to my bedroom. I damn near collapsed on the bed, and kicked my shoes off. I could still hear the pilots in there, laughing and carrying on. It was almost relaxing. I laid in bed looking at the ceiling, wondering about her and the note she left me. About how selfish it was how she just left me again. Whatever. If she wanted to do this, fine. I'm not going to wait around for her to come back. I chucked to myself as i slowly drifted off to sleep. I don't need her, and she obviously didn't need me...I'll just start over again...


	17. ReAppearing Act

Chapter 17: Reappearing Act..

3 and 1/2 years later...

I tightened a bolt on the Sandrock, and closed the control panel. I jumped out of the cockpit and landed on the gundam's waist.

"TIME!" i yelled.

"10 minutes 15 seconds." one of my students reported.

"and that's how fast it should take you to repair a damaged motherboard in any mobile suit." i said. " Any questions?"

"yeah, how did you learn to do all this?" another asked.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you..and that's real." I said. " ok, everyone head to you're project suit and time yourself on this procedure."

Everyone dispersed and went about their orders. I sat back and noticed how much I've become since JayLa left. Me and Gus, my former manager, had gone into business together and opened up a mobile suit repair show and school for mobile suit mechanics. This was only my 2nd week of teaching, and i was absolutely loving it. Plus the pay was alot nicer. So much nicer, that I got another house, nicer, bigger, and a nice little hanger where i work on more project suits, and keep my newly acquired aircraft. I took an interest in flying shortly after I started making more money. I had also taken her advice and moved on. I had met a sexy little thing, while i was doing an emergency repair on WIng Zero. Somehow Heero had managed to clog the buster rifles barrels and damaged it, by trying to fire it. It was about a 3 day job, and I had to travel to the colonies to do so. On the 2nd day, this nice little thing named Alyosha. She walked up to me and asked if I could repair an older model Zaku. It was old, but the thing was fine. It's core was just going bad, but I made it seem like less of a problem than it was.

I fixed Wing Zero a day early and then i got to work on her Zaku. Turns out that she was a new mobile suit mechanic, and just couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. Well, while I was working on her mobile suit, we went on a couple of dates, I mean come on, who puts a new reactor in a mobile suit in a few days. We did...a coouple things and after seeing eachother for a couple months, we decided to make it official, and she moved back to earth with me. I've been happy ever since. No surprises. No shootouts, no police or thugs breaking my door in. The crew was kind of against it, but it wasn't their decision to make. So i did what i want.

"Hey you," A familiar voice said from behind me.

"hey yourself girlie," i said turning around to see her.

She jumped into my arms like she haven't seen me in years. I caught her and held her close. Even though it had only been 45 minutes since she seen me. Eh, I'm not one to complain.

"so, long until you're off the clock?" she said putting her feet on the ground.

"well, i have two more classes to teach, and then its to home with us." I said kissing her on the cheek.

"good, i wanna play DDR when we get home."

"aww babe, i'm gonna be tired by then."

"aww c'mon.."she said sticking her lip out. " i have to get better somehow."

"yeah i know, i'll think about it. What are you working on over there?"

"eh there's a Aries that needs internal screens replaced. nothin major." she said winking at me.

"well hurry up and finish that because my next class is coming in."

"oh yeah, what's this one?" she asked

"basic mobile suit piloting, and we have some absolute noobs in it. I'll talk to you later babe."

"ok, i'll be waitng for you." she said walking away.

I watched her walk her sexy lil ass back around the other side of the building and sighed. I was gonna have some fun tonight. Eh..I shook the sexual thoughts out of my head and prepared for my next class. I saw a group of people walking up to my section of the lot. Ah, my new students.

"Are you Mr. Zero?" one asked.

"no," I said shaking my head. " I'm either Zero, or Mr. Z to you all, i don't believe in formalities all like that."

" Works for me." another student said.

"Ok, i need all of you to sign in, and please write clearly, because if you do die, I'm going to need something to id all of your bodies."

It got silent very quickly. Everyone looked at me, fear in their eyes. I busted out laughing.

"I'm joking, I'm joking. You're all going to be fine. I just need you to do this so i can assign you a mobile suit."

"oh good, cuz my ass was about to be outta here!" one girl said.

"ok do that and meet me over near the Leo's..if you do know what those are."

"We know what Leo's are!" one student yelled.

"just making sure,someone bring the list when you're done, I don't want one of you getting in one of these gundams."

Just saying the word gundam, excited the whole crowd of students. It was kinda cute. Like girls wooing over a boy. I dismissed it and started to walk over to the Leos. I saw some of the students start to follow me. Guess those are the ones that don't know what Leos are, i laughed to myself.

"so you're a big bad teacher now huh?"

I whirled around to find, the last person i really wanted to see...Duo.

"hmm, i thought you weren't good with kids," he said leaning against a hovercraft.

"I'm not, but most of these 'kids' are willing to learn. How you guys been, it's been a couple months?"

"eh, nothing too much..just some bull...finishing your gundam..."

"wha?? you finished it? Where is it" I said suddenly giddy.

"Whoa! Its..its DUO!" one girl screamed.

"whoa whoa ladies, only on a business call sorry, but I'd like you all to feast your eyes on...this!"

He pulled a remote from his pocket and pressed the blue button. With a crackle of static, a huge mobile suit, nay, a gundam loomed right in front of them. I looked up at the mass of red, black, and white gundanium and almost cried. It was more beautiful than i had ever imagined. At least in mobile suit standards. I almost cried.

"This is Gundam 000b Dark Fire, the newest addition to the gundam lineup ladies and gents." Duo said pointing towards the sky.

"WOW you know the gundam pilots?" one girl exclaimed.

" Little girl, your teacher IS a gundam pilot." Duo said hamming it up. " but, i won't take away from your class time, I'm just here to pick up the Sandrock for Quatre. Is it ready?"

"uh..ye..yeah, all the work is done." I said still kinda in shock.

"Well friend, we'll be in touch, I'll call you soon." he said giving me the remote and walking away.

"wait..aren't you gonna show me how to work this thing?" I said starting to chase after him.

"no no, you have to learn it on your own, this is your gundam now Zero." he said not even turning around.

And with that he was gone, I watch him climb in the Sandrock, and blast off into the sky...Wow..I just said to myself, looking up at my new toy.

"So..I take it you're not going up in a Leo." A student said.

"nah, i don't think that's gonna happen." i said smiling.

I instructed the student on how to properly enter the mobile suit and activate it, mean while I'm doing the same in my new gundam...damn that sound good to say. Once everyone was in the cockpit and activated, we went for a stroll...through the obstacle course. I wasn't a basic obstacle course where you can just step over things, you either do it right, or you get knocked down. We proceeded to go through the course pretty smoothly, up until the gauntlet, trees swinging at random through a section of the course...It was hell. Everyone got through it though, barely. I'd have to repair about 4 suits before they could be used again. It was minor work though, so i didn't worry about it. We proceeded to walk back to the base, eh... well the mobile suit lot.

We'd had so much fun, that i forgot to go through the sign in sheet.

"Ok, Viktor Nikels? number 18?"

"yep, i'm still here." he said

"Sasha Nikels? number 12" i asked

"yep, mee too." she beamed over the monitor.

"Do we have a ...wait.. Tifa Lockheart...Ok whats the odds?"

"That's Tiffa with 2 F's, and no Final Fantasy jokes, kay MR. Zero?" she said kinda irritated.

I'd be irritated if someone named me after a game too...wait..i was..i don't know that. We all got back to the lot and i instructed them on how to safely exit the suit. Only after everyone was out and a safe distance away did i decide to test out my gundam a bit...that and a few pleads by my students. I took a couple steps backwards, and looked for the booster control switch...The wasn't one. Umm..I went through all the master arm switches, and found an exclamation button. Hmm, that can't be good. I pressed it and all of a sudden..

"Good Afternoon Zero. Welcome to the 000b Dark Fire. This is the proverbial instruction manual of the mobile suit, but it really isn't necessary. Unlike the other mobile suits, I am completely interactive, and can be controlled manually and by voice command. That aside, what is you 1st order." The computer said to me.

I was kinda in shock at how much new technology this thing was integrated with. So I decided to try it.

"Activate Thrusters, hover mode." i commanded, and the action was instantly done. On my outside screen i saw myself rise off the ground.

"Command recognized, command done." the computer said.

"Activate Beam Saber." Once again the command was executed instantly.

"Command recognized, command done." the computer said again.

"nice, Activate thrusters, altitude; 1000 feet."

I was pushed into the back of my seat as i rocketed 1000 feet into the air in under 3 seconds...I felt kinda dizzy when i came to a stop in hover mode..I forgot to activate the G-Force compensators.

"I detect stress in your physical status, G-Force compensators activated."

"you keep a read-out of my physical status?" i asked

"affirmative. I am programmed to compensate according to your status." the computer reported.

"nice.." I said shaking off the pressure. "ok, I've had my fun, take us back down."

I made it back down to ground level and powered down the gundam.

"Powering down, Until next time.." the computer said as i exited the cockpit.

All my student stood there in awe and admiration. I could see them running home now, telling their parents and all their friends that their teacher is a gundam pilot. Sheesh..I was met by Alyosha, and Gus.

"What's all the commo..jebus..who's is that?" Gus said looking up at it

"well it's mine now, This is the project mobile suit I've been working on, plus a little help from the scientist that designed the gundams." I gloated just a lil bit.

"So they finally finished it huh," Aly said coming up giving me a hug." can i test it out?"

"oh nonono, this baby is going in storage for the time being." I lied, I was piloting this thing home.

"boo!" she said pushing me away.

I dismissed my piloting students and went to check on my mechanical students. They weren't doing to good, heh. One already fried a motherboard by not wearing their anti static gloves, and another managed to crack one in half. I don't know how they did it, but iono. I decided to help them throughout the rest of their lesson. I couldn't be absolutely ruthless...

"Mr. Z, Do i reinstall the firmware before or after i put the motherboard back in?" so girl asked.

"Either way is fine, just make sure you don't damage the motherboard when you put it back in, or you have to do it again." I said.

"Yeah dumbass, you should have known that." Another student said.

"shut up Sasha! You've taken this class twice remember?" She said back.

"hey you two, cut it out." I said expressing my authoritah.

"Excuse me..." a little voice said from behind me.

I turned around to find a little girl in a sundress, holding a leash to a doberman..odd. She looked up at me with her dark orange hair and smiled. Her face looked so familiar..even more odd.

"Umm, my mom needs help with her mobile suit thingy, she sent me to come get you." She said sweetly.

"umm ok, I'm a little busy right now sweetie, can you get another mechanic?" i asked

"no she said to go get someone named Xerox or Zero or something..Are you him?" She said petting the huge dog.

"uhh yeah..? Umm, hold on a second ok?" I said looking back at my students." Ok you guys get out early today, it's friday anyway, put your motherboards back in and you can go."

Everyone cheered and went furiously back to work. Shoving the motherboards in anyway they could. I jumped down and stood in front of the lil girl. The oversized beast started to growl..

"No, Caesar, No!" she said an smacked the dog on its nose, and the funny thing is it obeyed. It stopped growling immediately.

" So how old are you little miss?" i asked,

" I'm 3, but don't tell mom i told you, i'm not supposed to really talk to strangers, but she said its ok for you." she said.

"ok, i won't." I promised.

We started walking and she lead me to the waiting area, with the dog walking ahead of us. Something felt strange about all this, but me being me, i dismissed it. We walked around the corner, and i was face to foot, of a very large red and black mobile suit..A mobile suit that looks surprisingly like the Dark Fire..I looked up at the registry number on the suit and it read 000...Wait..The Dark Fire was 000b, so...this was..

"Hey stranger.." a familiar voice said from behind me.


	18. Fatherly Choices

Chapter 18: Fatherly Choices

I turned and stared in disbelief as she got off the bench, and strolled casually over towards me. Strangely my heart rate started to rise. She walked up to me and threw her arms around me. I returned the embrace without a second thought. We stood there in eachother's arms for i don't know how long. It felt almost like an eternity to me. All the memories of us together, good times and the bad flashed through my mind. I was kinda reluctant to let go.

"JayLa.." I started to say,

"I know, i know, we have a lot to talk about you." she said letting me go.

"yeah, we do." i said flatly

"yeah...we do." Alyosha said from behind. Uh oh, I never heard her walk up behind me. "Um..am i missing something?"

"No, no," I said letting her go almost instantly. " Aly, I'd like to introduce you to.."

"I'm JayLa," she said extending her hand. Aly didn't take it. I didn't like where this was going already.

" I'm Alyosha, Zero's girlfriend." she said..with emphasis on the word 'girlfriend'.

"Oh? I didn't know. Sorry about the appearance of this. Me and Zero go way back." she said looking her dead in the eye." oh, this is our daughter Zehra."

Then it hit me...our daughter? I looked at JayLa and she nodded her head. Then I really almost cried.

"She's..she's mine?" I stammered,

"Yep, you're never gonna find a head that big coming from anyone else." She said crossing her arms. " ZiZi, do you know who this is?"

"Yeah, that's Xerox, you told me to go get him mommy." she said playing with the dog.

"no no, honey. That's Zero...that's your daddy." she said smiling.

Alyosha's jaw dropped. So did mine, I was still in disbelief. The little girl dropped the leash and ran into my arms. This time i really did start crying. I held on to my newly found child and refused to let go. Up until i got bit in the ass by the doberman.

"AIIIII!! get him off get him off!" I screamed in pain, and hit the dog in the nose. It automatically released and lowered it's head.

"wow, he likes you?" JayLa said surprised.

" you call that liking someone?!?" i practically yelled, rubbing my rear end.

"aww quit being a bitch, its just a flesh wound, i've done worse to you in the bedroo..." she stopped in mid sentence. "is there a reason you're lookin at me that way?" she said to Alyosha

"Umm actually, yes. I have a lil bit of a.."

"Uh uh, not happening . " I said stepping in between them

"I mean if she has a problem, it can be resolved."JayLa said

"Oh i got your problem alright!" Alyosha replied.

"no you don't, why don't you go get ready so we can leave. I'll be done here in a minute" i suggested.

"you expect me to back down from that?" she pointed a JayLa.

"Oh I'm that huh, well let me show you this.." she said reaching behind her back. I stepped in front of her.

"baby, go get your things and go home, i said. We're not making this a problem, are you hearing me?" i said a lil too harshly

"...alright, i'll see you at the house." she said giving JayLa one last dirty look and walking away.

"So that's what you chose instead of waiting up for me huh," she said crossing her arms.

"Excuse me? last time i checked, you we're running off again in something of mine. I didn't expect you to be coming back, just like you said in that sappy ass letter you left with the homing beacon. So yeah i moved on, why the hell wouldn't I, you expect me to sit around, hoping for that one day to come? and it's been what 3 1/2 years? and you pop up on the scene, like you always have with some new surprise!? oh Zero, i need some change in my life, oh Zero Malik kicked me out can i stay here, oh Zero there's people after me and i forgot to tell you ima bounty hunter, oh the best of all! oh Zero we can't be together, im afraid for both of us, so ima just take this gundam cuz i need it; and i might see you later...And now, you've come to tell me that we have a child together, off of the one time we had sex..." I yelled at her, suddenly with a headache, and at a loss of breathing abilities

"you've been holding that in for a while now, huh." she said calmly

"yeah i have," i said trying to slow my breathing.

"well look. As much as you don't wanna believe it, she is yours because you were the only one i have had sex within that timeframe when she was supposedly conceived. why would i lie about that?" she said uncrossing her arms and pointing at her.

"I didn't say i didnt believe you, what i'm mad about is you just popping up again, and thinking everything is ok." i replied

"I know everything isn't ok, and i'm trying to make that right. What's wrong with that?"

"nothing is, but...I don't know." I said

I looked over and saw Zehra playin with the oversized security system..i mean dog. It was still a little too much to handle at the time so i looked away.

"what's wrong?" she asked

"nothing, i'm just kinda surprised." i said back

"about what? Her?"

"yeah,I never really planned on having kids."

"well too late for that now buddy,welcome to fatherhood." she said smartly,

"yeah thanks, ass." i said back." so what's supposed to happen from here?"

"well i really don't know, My record is all cleared up, I'm legal, and hating it. I gotta find a place for me and her to stay,"

"how long have you been back?"

"about a week, I was tired of wasting money and stayin in hotels, so me and her been sleeping in the gundam with the dog keeping watch." she said looking down

"broke huh,"

"yeah, been looking for a job so i can get on the straight and narrow. just gotta find a place to stay 1st, well..i don't know."

I suddenly felt bad, I started yelling at her before she even had a chance to state what she's been going through. As much as i hated to say it, i was still in love with her, but...

"look, i have 3 rooms that I'm not using at my new house. you and the baby can come stay with me and Aly." i said before i even thought of it.

"hehe, if we stay together, 3 of 3 things are going to happen. 1. me and your 'girl' are going to fight, 2. she's gonna leave you. 3. we're going to start fucking again. That's how it's always been."

"oh really, and what makes you think that?"

"umm you're standing right in front of me, and i can already see that you want me." she laughed and pointed at me

I looked down and saw 'myself'. Eh, she was half right.

"Look, if she doesn't accept me giving my BM a place to stay with my baby, she can pack her little bit of shit and go." i said

"ok ok, don't go gettin an attitude, that's my job 1st off. 2nd off, your beef is not with me. "

"umm actually it is still, we still have the unresolved issue about my gundam."

"I knew you were gonna bring this up.."

"And i'm gonna continue to bring it up. Now...I guess we're piloting gundams back to my house.."

"yeah about that..."

"oh my god, what did you do to it."

I looked up at it and seen fluid dripping out of the side of the torso. It was coming out at about a gallon a minute.

" Reactor leak?"

"myep."

"when did it happen?"

"mmyesterday."

"and you want me to fix it.."

"mmmyep."

"you got some money?"

"mmmmnope."

"So how do you expect to pay me?"

" i don't, you can do it out of the kindness of your heart, or it can explode with me and your daughter in it." she said smiling..

Trump card...damn i hate her, but damn she's good, and she had a point.

"fine, it'll make it to the house. I'll do it there."

"at your house, where the hell is a gundam gonna fit there?"

"well since you disappeared, i've been doin pretty well for myself. I moved, and bought some property, built from the ground up."

"and you have a mini base at this house of yours?"

"yep, with equipment and a weapons testing section at that. So Ha!"

"Happy with you're gloating session? "

"yep" i beamed,

"Then lets go." she said brushing past me like she was mad. She always did that. I loved it

I went in and punched out, sayin goodnight to Gus, and locking up the mobile suit bay. By that time, JayLa had reapplied some bondo to the leaking part of the suit. I can only guess that was how she was holding everything together thus far. I can only fucking imagine how the hell she had done that, or who did that to her..I dismissed yet another thing from my mind, and grabbed the ripcord to the 0b. A short while after i was strapping myself in.

"Good Evening Zero," The computer said upon activation.

" G'Evening Dark Fire, hmmm Dark Fire, is there something else i can call you, i just don't want to refer to you as Dark Fire."

"Why would you want to do such a thing?" it said back.

"are you programed to question me back?" i asked

"actually yes i am, i am programmed to do a number of things. Sassing back, and questioning you are two of these."

"yay, a computer with a personality, ok so what do you wish to be called."

"Hmmm...how about Ada, for Automated Digital Assistant? "

"if you like it, it's fine with me, Ada." I said shutting the cockpit, and watching my screens come online.

"So, who is piloting my sister suit, is it still JayLa?"

"Wha...? how did you know about.?"

"When i was designed, i know about everything that happened from the beginning of time, up until the time i go offline, and yet i continue to monitor everything around me and the world with my satellite uplink." it said.

I sat back, somewhat amazed.

"how about we just make it home 1st, and a history lesson later." i asked

"can do, you can use some tutoring, you history grades weren't the best" she said with a computer like laugh.

" ha funny," i chuckled right back.

I chuckled now, because when i got home...it was gonna be a massacre.


	19. Exactly What I said, A Massacre

Chapter 19: Exactly What I Said...A Massacre.

Me and JayLa took off from my job and began our journey home. Well my journey home, her hotel i guess. It was strangely silent between us. Mostly cuz i still kinda harbored some hatred towards her, you know for shafting me and stealing my gundam. And now, I'm letting her back in my house, fucking nice...

"Zero, I'm detecting elevated stress levels in your neo cortex. What is the matter?" ada said

"nothin, just thinking of how stupid i am." i said

"explain."

"well this girl has basically fucked me over, numerous times, and yet i still love her, and yet again, she's coming to stay with me, do you see something wrong with this picture.?" "love is a complex emotion, but sadly i am unable to help you with this issue, for i am merely a computer, and know not how to love."

"yeah, i figured as much."

Suddenly a screen popped up with JayLa in the middle of it.

"Oy, about how long will it take to get to this house of yours?"

"in a few minutes, why?"

"bcuz for 1, i have to pee, for 2, im hungry, and for 3 i really need to get this gundam fixed, before it, you know, explodes."

"a heh, a heh, not funny, im goin this slow so you don't rupture the core more than you already have, sit down shut up and be patient."

"...hmmm a lil more testy now are we."

"you have no fucking idea."

"wanna talk about it?"

"not with you."

"why not"

"because i said so."

"oh that's really an answer"

" damn straight"

"ugh what is your problem? you act like you missed me more than anything in the world earlier now, this?"

"well earlier i missed you, now im regretting i ever saw you again."

"ouch, that hurts..."

"hey take it like it is."

"hmmm.."

"that's my line," i said sarcastically .

The view screen closed and i felt a little better inside. Maybe i just wasn't done venting. I kinda felt bad that i somewhat snapped on her but..NO, she wasn't gettin away with it this time she was gonna hear the noise. I was about to open the view screen, when i saw the landing lights from my house come on, Aly knew i was coming home, but she had a mighty big surprise waiting on her. Almost as soon as i thought it, another view screen popped up, and i was face to face with Alyosha, and she didn't look too pleased.

"Thanks for turning on the lights babe, I.." I started

"what is the other mobile suit on radar?" she asked

"That's JayLa, I need to repair her..."

"you're bringing her to our house?! What are you thinking?"

"umm for one she has my daughter, for two this is making me money, and three this is my house, you put no money on it, you didnt pay for it, so don't go giving me lip about who i'm gonna bring in here."

"That's not the point Zero."

"no it is the point, stop being jealous and open the god damn hanger, i got work to do."

She got real quiet. A little too quiet for me. I hovered above the silo as the doors opened.

"Zero..I.." she started

"I'll see you when I get in the hanger, out." i said and closed he screen.

"hmmm...nice to see you finally got some authority in your life." JayLa said,

"You know what, there's alot of shit about to go on when i land, and it's all over you so please don't test my patience JayLa."

"Aye Aye captain.." she said somewhat somberly.

We both descended down the silo leading to the hangar. Both of our suits looking at eachother. It was kinda funny. She did what she did to me and i was letting her back in my house. God I was stupid, but i couldn't deny my daughter a place to live. We both touched down in front of our individual lifts, and powered down out suits. JayLa and Zehra, plus the mutt that bit me, were already out on the platform, by the time i got all of my things and exited the gundam. Zehra ran over towards me, followed by the dog.

"Zero..I mean..Daddy is this your house?" she asked hopping up and down in front of me.

"yep, mobile suits, airplanes and all." i said smiling down at her.

"COOL" she yelled and went running off to explore the Hangar

"Nice hangar action, you got goin on here" JayLa said walking up to me  
"Yeah it's ok, it was a damn fortune to get all of this dug out, but hey, might as well waste it on something good, something I need." I said,  
"Yeah I feel you, So about my.."  
"Zero, where are you gonna repair that gundam, we don't have any empty repair docks to do it." Alyosha said walking up,

"I can put it next to the Vayate, that one Aires is already done." I said.  
"but that Aires is due to be shipped back in a few days." She read from a chart,  
"Ok then we can stand it up somewhere, why isn't it in the shipping bay already?"  
"Because I haven't had time to put it there."  
"Umm lady, gent? Can we argue about this some other time, If you don't mind, I really have to go to the bathroom." JayLa interrupted.  
"Down the hall to the left" Alyosha pointed,

"Thanks." And with that she grabbed Zehra, and ran towards the door. Leaving me with an agitated Alyosha. A very agitated Alyosha.

"So why'd you bring her to the house? Couldn't you have gotten her a hotel room?"  
"For one, regardless if she has money or not, she's my friend, mainly because my daughter is with her, Why do you see this as a problem?"  
"Uh would you, you like it if I invited my ex-boyfriend over?" she said putting her hand on her hip  
"Umm I pretty sure Lamar is still afraid of me, I did break his arm and 3 ribs."  
"You really didn't have to beat him like that,, it was a kiss on the cheek."  
"A kiss is a kiss, whatever way you look at it,"  
"Uh huh, well keep your lips off her."  
"Excuse me? You don't give the orders around herez."

"Neither do you."

"I beg to differ."

"I bet."

"I'm not having this argument with you right now."

"Ok then shut up then."

Ya know I really wasn't one to strike a woman, but the way she was acting right now made me want to rethink that.

"What is your problem." I asked

"She is my problem, isn't this the same bitch that left you, took your gundam, and now coming back wanting to fix it? Don't you see the issue there?"

She had a point. A very painful point.

"True, but I cannot deny my child, even if it means putting up with her, if you can't accept that, then maybe you should go." I said glaring at her.

"Ok, then." Was all she said, and she walked to the elevator and left.

Wow, I said to myself. Now she's pissed at me. What else could possibly go wrong..

"Hey Zero! How bout some of that good ol' home cooking! We're starving!" JayLa yelled coming out of the bathroom.

"Yeah dad, FOOD!" Zehra co-signed.

"You hungry baby girl? I said smiling

"YES!" they both exclaimed.

I was only talking to Zehra, but JayLa decided to answer also, odd..sorta.

"Ok let's head up to the house and get some food cookin then" I said leading them to the freight elevator. We all stepped into the elevator car, and Zehra moved next to me and grabbed my hand,. It felt kinda funny at first, cuz I'm not really all that good was kids, that and I'm still finding it funny that its my child. I hit the switch and the elevator started to ascend to ground level, well the house level. It was a pretty slow ride since its main used for moving freight, that and the hangar is pretty damn big.

"So, you wanna talk yet?" JayLa interrupted my thoughts,

"About what?" I said,

"About what we we're talking about earlier."

"Meh, not really why?"

"Because I want to talk to you about some things."

"some things?"

She pointed her head towards the child holding my hand. Hm, I guess this is where I get taken to child support. Nice. She must have read my mind, because she sorta gave me a sideways look.

"No, it's not about that Zero. I have more than enough money to get by on, sorta, but I'm tired of moving from colony to colony, and city to city, ducking and dodging people". She said.

"Where's still people after you?" I said raising an eyebrow.

"No.."

I looked at her.

"Well a few.."

I looked at her again.

"Ok, Ok, I you know what-ed, my boss, and I kinda vaporized the Brandywine Agency Headquarters." She admitted.

I just looked at her in disbelief. Mainly because I head about that on the news, and thought it was just an accident, because a planetary defense satellite had gone haywire and started vaporizing things at random. Well I guess it wasn't the satellite that time.

"We'll talk once we get you to cleaned up and fed." I said to her.

"Ok," she said quietly.

The elevator came to a shuddering halt, and we were in the rear of the upper hangar. We walked about 50 feet, and the kitchen came into view. I heard a grumbling noise, and looked behind me to see JayLa with a foul look on her face. I looked to where she was looking at and saw Alyosha in the kitchen cooking something. I was concerned at that point.

"Ok, " I stop and said to her.

"What," she said still looking.

"I need you to be nice right now, let us be civilized, you know how to do that right?"

"Who me? Of Course?" she said

"ok then."

Little did I know, she had her fingers crossed. I would regret that in the next 30 minutes. We walked into the kitchen and Alyosha didn't even give us a look.

"So are we having any other guests for dinner?" she asked still looking at whatever she was cooking.

"Nope, just Me, you, Zero, and Zehra." JayLa said from behind me.

"What you makin," I asked giving JayLa a dirty look

"Beef Stroganoff, garlic toast, and green beans."

" ok you 2, have a seat and I'll get you both a plate, what does Ceasar eat?"

"Anything, just make him a normal plate, he's half human after all" JayLa said walking towards the dinner table. Zehra in tow.

I walked over to where Aly was standing, and nuzzled up close to her. i leaned over like i was getting ready to kiss on her neck and said.

"Please attempt to be nice. For me at least." i said and pulled away

"We'll see." she said in almost a whisper.

I walked towards the bathroom in the foyer, thinking about what could possibly go wrong in this situation. I would regret saying that later. I did my business in the bathroom and washed my hands. I looked in the mirror at myself, wondering how i get myself in these damn situations. Maybe because your stupid. i said to myself. A loud crash and a scream from Zehra bought me back to my senses. I reached for one of the MagSec 11's i had shoulder holstered and grabbed the handle. I kicked open the door and booked towards the kitchen. I reached the kitchen opening and i could still hear Zehra screaming, the dog barking in sync. I did a barrel roll into the kitchen swat team style, only to see JayLa and Alyosha both in a headlock...with eachother, both covered in beef stroganoff.

"Daddy, the mean lady attacked mommy!" Zehra said running to me.

"What?, God..Zehra, go sit in the living room ok? I'll be there in a minute." i said

"Ok dad," she said in a scared voice and ran into the other room with ceasar behind her. They were still at it, and i decided to just stand there and watch. I holstered my MagSec, and leaned against the counter, They didnt know i was there yet. JayLa flipped Alyosha over her shoulder and reached for her trusty glock, but looked up and saw me and stopped. By then Alyosha had recovered and charged at her with the stroganoff pan. JayLa knocked the pan out of her hand, spilling more on herself in the process, and countered with crushing blow to her stomach. I could hear the air leave Aly's lungs from all the was where i was. She backed away, trying to get some air, guard still up. I heard Zehra cry my name from the living room, and I decided it was time to stop this..

"ahem.." I said surprisingly loud. They both turned to face me." Are you quite finished? Because now I have a scared little girl and a hysterical Doberman in my living crying their eyes out. So please, do finish."

I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was when they started going back at it again. Swinging, ducking, missing, and falling all over the place. By this time my blood had already been boiling, and now it was starting to overflow. I stomped over to where they were tussling on the ground, grabbed both of them up and pushed them away from eachother.

"What the hell are you 2 doing?" I yelled at both of them

"I just went up to see how she was making it, because Zehra is allergic to eggz, so I walk up and she just starts swinging on me!" JayLa said trying to get past my hand

"Bullshit she came up to me like she was about to do something to me, so I reacted first!." Alyosha protested.

"I thought I asked both of you to be nice?!" I yelled at them again

"Fuck being nice, and fuck her Zero, isn't this the bitch you told me about?" Aly said,

"BITCH? I GOT YO BITCH!!"

JayLa reached, Alyosha reached, and I reached,. In a matter of 30 seconds we were all in stand off. JayLa pointed at Aly, Aly pointed at JayLa, and me pointing at both of them. We had a nice lil Mexican showdown, and I wasn't liking it.

"Everyone, lower the pieces, we have a child in the house. And I don't want blood on my walls" I said slowly

"You really want it with me lil girl?" JayLa growled

"I was about to ask you the same thing bitch," Aly said back.

"You know you got a real smart mouth for someone with a glass jaw."

"And you might look real nice with a bullet in your head"

"Ladies…" I said again, "Put the guns down," I said again

"I don't even know why you came crawling back to Zero , after you did all of that to him" Aly started

"You don't even know what me and him have been through. How dare you attempt to judge ME!" JayLa said pulling the hammer back on the glock.

"Yeah, well, you're here now, so something must be wrong. From what I've been told you always run back to him when there's something you can't handle in you're little bounty hunter games. Do you think he's been through enough? Do you think he's sick so seeing you, being stuck on you. Don't you think I'm sick of him inadvertently saying you name during sex sometimes rather than mine?" she yelled.

"What?" I said, had I really done that and not noticed? She looked at me. Almost tearing up.

"Yeah, you did a few times, I just never really said anything because I knew how you felt about her."

"The or you're just not fuckin right." JayLa snorted.

They continued to argue and we continued to be at a stand off, I put my guns down, holstered them, and slowly walked away while they still were going at it. I walked into the living room to find a sleeping Zehra. She was curled up on the big couch, while Ceasar kept guard, good boy. I picked her up, and carried her upstairs, to one of the many bedrooms of my house. The dog quickly followed after me, hearing the commotion in the kitchen. I picked out a pinkish tinted room, and laid her in the bed. She would be hungry when she got up, I thought. I'd have to either make or order something. The kitchens a damn mess, I thought to myself. OH Damn, I forgot I left them down there. I was walking out the room, and I heard Zehra, mumble in her sleep, "daddy, please make mommy and the mean lady stop fighting. Idon't like when momy fights, and makes people go to sleep." I didn't respond simply because I knew she was asleep. But I walked out the room an angrier person because a 3 year old has more common sense than they do. I stomped down the hallway, now hearing the argument still going on. As I approached the steps up grabbed both MagSec's and unholstered them both, by the time I hit the bottom of the stairs, I was locked, loaded and ready. I walked into the kitchen, both guns up and pulled the triggers….Point Blank Range…


	20. A Way To End All Fights

Chapter 20: A Way to Stop All Fights...

I stood there, smoke rising from both barrels. All was silent now, and neither of them said a word…Good. I looked at the 2 new holes i had put into my refrigerator and decided that it was worth it. They stopped fighting with each other, guns were replaced. Bad thing was, both their guns were on me. I had missed both of their heads by about 3 inches. That was the plan, shock them enough to get them to stop fighting. I did that, now they were pissed at me.

"Have you fucking lost it!? You almost shot me!" Alyosha screamed.

"Yeah what the fuck was that about, i know your mad at me but shit!" JayLa co-signed,

"That was the only way to get you 2 to shut the fuck up. So yes, I shot at you. Want me to do it again, start fighting." i said calmly

"You know what, i really don't need this right now. I'm leavng Zero." Alyosha said.

"And where do you think you're goin Aly?" I asked.

"To someone who hasn't lost their fucking mind. I don't know you anymore." she said dropping her gun and pushing past me.

"Who, Lamar? Then go ahead, take you shit with you. Don't come back." I said putting the safety on both my guns.

She crept back into the kitchen.

"So that's it. You're choosing her over me? You're kicking me out and moving her in?" she started.

"No you said you're leaving, so i said take your shit with you and dont come back if you're going to Lamar." I said holstering them.

"So where else would i go?"

"You tell me?"

" I dont have anywhere to go, but if she stays here, i go." she said crossing her arms.

"Then get your shit and get out. I'm not kicking my daughter out." I said sternly. She looked at me and started tearing up.

"Fine, I'm gone. See ya later." she said and walked away.

I stood there and listened as i heard her stomp up the steps, throw things around and finally come back down the steps. She walk right past me and JayLa and headed for the Freight Elevator. Minutes later her Zaku blew out of the hangar and into the night sky. She had really left. Me and JayLa stood there silently for a while.

"Zero, look, I'm so.." she started

"Sorry better not the 1st word that comes out of your mouth. I don't want to hear anymore apologies from you." i said putting a finger in her face.

"It's all my fault, i should have asked her from back there instead of walking up and asking her." she said

"You know what, none of that matters now. Forget it. " I said and walked away.

I could only be headed for one place, the bar. Yessir. I walked through the hallways, and entered my pool room. I loved this room. It was a shade of cobalt blue, with a white and black stripe going all the way around the room. I had the bar set up in the far corner of the room, so no one could accidentally hit anyone with a pool stick. Smart investment for me. I sat behind the bar and poured myself a Hennessey. The room was completely climate controlled, so no rocks were needed, It stayed a chilling 52 degree's in here, and a nice 42 behind the bar.

The pilots and Alyosha called this room the Ice Cap Zone, after Sonic, Because one, the room was the color of sonic, and it was cold as a damn ice cap, go figure. I sat there just downing shots for about 20 minutes, and I started to feel the heat a lil bit. A knock at the door brought me back to reality,

"Yep?" I said tipsily

"Can I come in?" I heard JayLa said from behind the door.

"Sure why not." I said leaning back on the stool

She walked in and took a seat at the bar in front of me. I poured her a shot, just being nice. She took it down and slammed the glass on the counter, and looked at me. We stared at each other for a second, then immediately looked away. I poured her another shot, then i just started taking the bottle to the head. I sat the bottle down on the counter and just stared off into space for a while. I looked at the clock, and it read 10:45. I've been drinking for about an hour already.

"Hey, you still any good?" she asked, looking at the pool table.

"Eh, I practice every now and then." I said

"How bout some drunken pool, just for old time sakes?" she said looking at me.

"…you know what, why the hell not?" I said getting up from my stool

By the time 12:30 rolled around, me and JayLa were played our 3rd game of drunken pool. We were having fun, just like we used to. We were just a talking about everything, from how I met Alyosha, to how she vaporized the Brandywine Agency. Everything was fine…up until..

"So, how did the Dark Fire run anyway." I said watching her.

"It runs like a champ, I have no complaints at all. If I wouldn't have fallen asleep at the controls I wouldn't have ruptured the core, falling off that cliff." She said hitting the cue ball.

It slowly rolled to the other side of that table, missing her intended ball completely.

"Scratch, my shot." I laughed

"Damn it!" she said slamming her stick on the table.

"Looks like I'm gonna win this one too."

I walked past her to make my shot and she grabbed a hold of me. I looked at her and she looked at me, for a moment it felt like nothing was wrong, like it was just me and her like it used to be. I know it wasn't but something inside of me yearned for it to be so. We were extremely drunk, and extremely too close on the pool table, because somehow between the time she had grabbed me and the time i had flashed back, I ended up with her sitting on the pool table and me resting between her legs. Both of us, looking to each other's eyes. Nothing but lust emanated from that spot. She pulled me closer to her.

"So what's this all about?" I said drunkenly,

"I don't know, but I'm loving it." She said rubbing on my body.

"Is that so," I said grabbing a hold of her.

"yeah, " she moaned as I ran my tongue along her neck

"you must like that, or is there something caught in your throat"

"Cocky are we?" she moaned again,

"Somethin like that." I said smoothing my hand along her breasts.

"I want you, right now, right here." She said grabbing my hands.

I stopped. I couldn't do this. I wanted to so bad, but I couldn't. Not after the things that had just happened between us, between her and Alyosha.

"JayLa stop, we can't do this." I said moving her hands away

"It's me right." She said with an innocent look in her eyes. That's the only place where it could be seen

"Yeah, and you just beat up my girlfriend like an hour and a half ago." I said.

"yeah well..Look, I know you don't wanna be with me, and you probably can't stand the sight of me, but I'm still in love with you boy. " she said looking dead in my eyes.

Ok, ok, so I fell for it. I leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I know you are, so am I." I whispered.

She pulled me closer to her again, and started making out like tomorrow was non existent. I don't know how, but my hand was managing to make its way up her skirt. She pulled me closer. We were so close that it should have been uncomfortable, but wasn't. It was most likely the liquor but we were both in a state of complete ecstasy, and that would come to an end very shortly. She reached for my zipper, but the door crept open, and JayLa pushed me away from her, hard.

"Mommy, I'm hungry." Zehra said walking into the room.

"Ok baby, Mama's gonna get you something." she slurred.

"hey...Why is daddy on the floor?" She asked.Curious lil thing.

"Dad is ok, baby, I just dropped something." I said.

"ok, ima go play with Ceasar. Let me know when you have somethin mom!" she said running out the room.

We both sat there for a second, her on the pool table, and me on the floor. We looked at each other and chuckled nervously. I gotta stop drinking around females. I got to my feet and walked out of the room. I had to get the baby something to eat. I walked down the hallway and was shortly joined by JayLa.

"So...umm about all that...Maybe I was." she started.

"No, it was a drunken moment, that was it." I said quickly sobering up.

"A drunken moment huh? Wow I didn't know you can get harder than Mt. Rushmore just from a drunken moment.". she said laughing

I had to look down for a second just to see myself. Yeah I was at half staff, but thats the price I have to pay for being well endowed.

"Anyway. Shit... I have to clean the kitchen." I said remembering the confrontation that had just gone on.

"I'll make you a deal, I'll clean the kitchen and you make something for us." She proposed

"Deal, what do you want to eat?" I asked.

"Umm, what do you have?" she asked back.

"Uh, I have chicken, ground meat, Salisbury steak, T-Bones..."

"T-Bones work." she said

"Ok, I'll throw something on the grill." I said walking into the kitchen.

I walked to the fridge and took out some steaks. JayLa immediately got to cleaning up the mess she and Alyosha had made. I took out some seasoning and started seasoning the meat. I couldn't help but keep glancing over at JayLa. I don't know what my issue was. I thought I wasn't attracted to her anymorez. But based on what just happened in my pool room, I guess something begged to differ inside of me. By the time I had come out of my dream state, I had seasoned the meat completely. I walked over to the corner where I had my indoor grill. I turned on the air vent and the grill. Electric grill, who would have ever thought?

I put the steaks on the grill, and closed the lid. Shortly afterwards, the lovely smell of steak filled the kitchen.

"Medium well," she said putting stuff in the garbage

"done," i said turning the vent up higher. " can you set the table please?"

"done," she said mocking me. funny..

I flipped the steaks a couple minutes later, and closed the lid so the house wouldnt get smoky...er. And this time i caught JayLa looking at me. We made eye contact and she immediately looked away. Nice one. I still had thoughts of us in the pool room and of what was going to happen if Zehra didnt come in. More than likely i was going to take her right there on the pool table and damn it, it would have been great. I shook of those thoughts and checked on the steak again.

"You keep checkin that steak, and the slower its gonna take to cook." i heard her say from the other side of the room. She was right. "What's on your mind boy?"

"I thought i clearly expressed how much i hate you calling me that?" i said

"Obviously not."

"JayLa.."

"Zero?"

"stop it."

"you stop it."

"how old are you again?"

She looked at me and smiled. I gave her the patented 'what the fuck' eyebrow. I turned and went about my business, for her information, the steaks were about done. I put some potatoes in the slicer, and got some fries. I turned on the deep fryer and threw em in.

"You're a regular iron chef huh?" JayLa said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" i asked,

"Well you used to not be that great around the kitchen."

"Well a man has to learn. doesnt he?"

"Indeed." she said smiling, " A man does have to learn.."


	21. Intruder Alert

Chapter 21: Intruder Alert

Dinner was going surprisingly well. Alyosha wasnt there, so there were no conflicts to be started until...

"So you were sayin my name huh?" JayLa said smiling.

"Excuse me?" i said dropping my fork

"Yeah, isn't that what girlie was saying, that you were saying my name?"

"Her name is Alyosha, not girlie." I corrected her

"So i guess JayLa is easier to say than Alyosha." she sniffed.

"Umm..Moving On."

"No Zero tell me."

"Why is it that you want to know so bad" I said putting down my fork.

"Just for satisfaction."She said emotionlessly.

"Wrong answer." I said cutting another chunk of meat.

Dinner pretty much went silently after that. I guess she got fed up with me denying her the pleasure of admitting that i did say her name. I mean..well i know i did a couple time, just slipping up because i so happen to be thinking about her. Big deal, everyone does it right? Guess not..

After everyone had finished eating, and my hangover started to set in, I cleared the table and was starting to clean up everything. Normally this was Alyosha's job, but hey, she wasn't here, So it was up to me.

"I'm going to go take Zehra up to bed, then I'll be down to help you ok?" she said walking up the stairs,

"Got ya." I said putting the dishes in the sink.

I grabbed the dishrag and wiped off the table, even though there wasn't that much to wipe down at all. Just instinct i guess. I put some dish liquid in the dishwasher, and the loaded the damn thing . It was one of the new digital one which were a little difficult to work with. I shut it and pressed the start button and it hummed to life. Well the kitchen was done, one thing off the list. I sat in the chair and tried to relax. I was still kinda reeling from the events of the day. I heard JayLa coming down the steps. I'm guessing she and the mutt were sleep. That's good. At least the house will be a lot more peaceful with no one to start any trouble. So she would sleep good, i'm guessing. JayLa walked in the kitchen and took a seat beside me.

"So lets talk." she said.

"About what?" I asked.

"Anything."

"anything like what JayLa?"

"Why do i feel like you still have some hostility towards me?"

"Umm…because your feelings are right?"

"But why?..I mean i know why, but…well you know what i mean."

"Why? Ever since I've known you, you've just been in and out of my life."

"Yeah, well…yeah. I guess that would give me a reason to be hostile."

"yep."

"How can I make it up to you?"

"What do you mean make it up to me?" i said leaning forward. "You think you can just make everything better, make things go back to the way they were? JayLa, unless you can give me back the years of my life that you fucked up for me theres not a way in hell you can fix that"

She got kinda silent after that. Either the words finally got to her brain, or she was just confused. Either way, i didn't too much care. I said my piece.

"So, where can I sleep tonight?" she said breaking the silence.

"There's a bedroom that's right beside Zehra's room that you can make camp in." i said getting up

"where you going?" she asked

"To start the work on that Gundam. It's not going to fix itself." i said walking to the door.

"Oh well, may I join you?" she said twiddling her thumbs.

"What do you want JayLa." i asked

"I just want to comfort you, i know you. you're upset about earlier."

"Yes i am, and stop reading me." i said back

"Well let me apologize." she said walking towards me.

"What type of apology are we talking about here." i said taking a step back.

"A normal one, but if you want that type we can do that too." she said.

"No I'm ok. I don't think i need to be getting involved with you again."

"Why's that?" she said looking offended.

"Because it always leads to trouble. ALWAYS." i said capitalizing on that.

"When has it always…well…hmm you do have a point there." She said looking down.

"Yeah… I do." I said walking towards the door.

"Well I'm coming anyway, and theres nothing you can do about it." She said following me out the door.

I almost wanted to snap out on her, but I just didn't have the energy anymore. I walked towards the freight elevator with her in tow. When I stopped suddenly. The elevator was up.

"What's wrong?" she said running into the back of me.

"The elevator is up." i said grabbing one of my guns

"Umm, is that a bad thing?" She said rocking on her heels.

"Yeah it is, because when Alyosha left, the elevator would have been on the bottom." i said looking around.

Someone was here, but in the unlighted backyard, i couldn't tell where they were.

"Bushes, 5 feet to the right." She said reaching for her gun.

She didn't get that chance, It was almost like the bush exploded. A Flashbang. I stumbled back a couple steps, dazed and blind. Something took me off of my feet and the gun out my hand. I rolled to the right and missed getting my head stomped in. As I regained my senses i saw a black blur, that's why i couldn't see them. I ran towards the house again and hit the spot lights The yard lit up like a friday night football game. There were two of the black-clad people trying to hold down JayLa and one coming after me. Why in the hell were we getting attacked by ninjas? Were they ninjas? My eyes darted to the left and i saw my magsec. I blocked a fierce kick and dove to where the gun was. I got my hands on it, and it spelled nothin but doom for the guy attacking me. I let off 4 rounds and not one of them hit the guy. Its almost like he dodged them. I aimed for him again and again, but he kept dodging the bullets. I looked over and saw that one of the guys had JayLa in a choke hold. she was crawling towards her pistol, but the guy was on top of her. I ducked another kick sent by my aggressor and lowered my shoulder. His leg went over my shoulder and it sent him off balance. I aimed and fired. His body jerked and fell limp from the 45 caliber round entering and exiting his chest. I turned and pulled out my other gun firing on the ninjas attacking JayLa. They jumped up and came after me. That gave JayLa a perfect opportunity to catch them both in the back. They fell 1 foot away from me, face down. They were alive but they were hurt. I walked over to where JayLa was kneeling.

"Hey are you ok?" I said kneeling beside her.

"Yeah, bastard choked me pretty good." she said rubbing her throat.

"What the fuck is that about." i said looking over at the guys.

"I don't know. Were they there from me or you?" She said standing up.

I walked over to the injured attackers, and picked up his head.

"Are you going to make this easy?" I said looking into his eyes.

"hehehehe not at all." he coughed.

"Hmm, figures." I said letting him fall back to the ground. Then it clicked to me.

"JayLa go check on Zehra."

"Already on it." she said rushing into the house.

"You....you're doomed." one of the guys pointed at me.

"Oh yeah? how you figure?" i said raising an eyebrow.

"We were just after the girl, but you...now you are part of it."

"Apart of what?" i questioned.

"The Uprising...The Son of Brandywine...He's back for her, and everyone else." he sputtered .

"Brandywine? He's dead."

"heheh you fool. He was never dead." the guy said before he passed out.

Brandywine wasn't dead? JayLa like shot him dead on the spot, how is he not dead? I stood up and check around the yard again and made sure there were no other hidden surprises. JayLa came back down the steps, out of breath.

"Zehra and the dog are ok," she said panting.

"Why in the hell are you out of breath? It was not that far a walk?" i said looking her up and down.

"Yeah but your stairs man. Whoo..."She said doubled over.

"Brandywine..how'd you kill him?" i said kneeling in front of her.

"wha...What?" She said catching her breath

"One of those guys said the son of Brandywine is after you and that i'm involved." i said looking at her.

"I Hit him from 1000 yards away, while he was just a drivin down the highway. He wrecked and his car exploded, theres no way he lived." she explained.

"well i guess he did from what these guys are talking about." i said standing up.

"Shit, you cannot be serious." She said falling back on the grass. "That presents problems."

"Yeah I was going to say the same thing." I said standing up.


	22. Working Under Pressure

Chapter 22: Working Under Pressure

"So I guess no Gundam workey?" She said.

"What do you think? Someone just tried to break into my house."

"Don't you have a security system or something?" she said getting up.

"These are my security system." I said motioning to my MagSec's.

"You still have that God-Complex huh." She sighed.

"I don't have a god complex, I'm just confident within my skill."

"Whatever, I think we're not safe in this house."

"Well there is only one entrance into the hangar, go get Zehra, we'll make camp in there tonight." I said walking towards the house.

And with that she ran into the house to get the baby and her belongings. I caught myself looking at her ass while she ran. Some things never change I guess. I walked in and grabbed a couple extra clips, and a SPAS-12 I have hidden under the kitchen sink. JayLa came down not to long after that holding the sleeping Zehra, and the growling Cesar.

"What's his problem now?" I asked looking at the dog sideways.

"He knows when something is up." She said shuffling past me and out the door.

I turned off the remaining lights and followed her to the elevator. We got on and I pressed down on the terminal, when we were safely underground, I shut the blast doors. 16 feet thick. Solid Steel. No one was getting in here. Luckily for me, I am a workaholic, and made some homely provisions down here. Like a few bedrooms, more like barracks compared to my bedroom in the house. A little place where I can have some downtime, more like an entertainment room. Couches, TV's, the works. As John Hammond would say, spared no expense.

The elevator reached the bottom and JayLa followed me to the barracks. By this time she had gotten tired of holding the mutt and he was walking by my side. Ya know he would be a good little dog if he wasn't so damn mean. I walked to the end of the hallway and opened door number 6. I picked this one because there were no other entrances to this one, so we could be sure no one was going to harm the child. Even if they were to break in. Which was impossible? Yeah. I left JayLa to take care of securing her in her room. I trust she knew what she was doing. I walked towards the repair bay.

Since I had to be up, I might as well be working. I made my way over to the 000a. I looked up at it and still I marveled at it. It ain't as good as the 000b, but damn it was still a beautiful machine. I immediately got to work. Repairing a reactor core is not the easiest thing to do. I jumped onto the lift, and began the process of unlatching the outer core shield. This would be the longest part. Not difficult, but just long. So..I got to work unscrewing bolt after titanium bolt riveted to the side of the DF-a. Thank god for pneumatic ratchets though. About an hour or so later, and 208 bolts down, I was done with that part at least. I took the lift down and was face to face JayLa, again.

"Hi there." She said smiling.

"What are you doing up? Where's the baby." I said looking at my watch.

"It's 1:56 am, and I can't sleep."

"Hmm some things never change." I said jumping off the lift.

"Ya know you've been saying that a lot lately." She said putting her hand on her hip

"Well it's the truth." I said walking over the crane.

"Yeah Zero, people change. It's inevitable."

"Yeah some people."

"Ok dude, what is your problem, seriously!" she yelled at me.

"You, you're my problem." I said slamming the cockpit door.

She started mouthing more words to me but I couldn't hear her. I just went back to work. I maneuvered the crane over the mobile suit and lowered the restraining cables. The cables tightened around the 'armpits' of the suit, and I started lifting the top half of the suit very slowly. If I went too fast the core could rupture even more, then we would have a whole new problem on our hands. Wait, not ours, hers, because now I'm thinking about charging her for this. I moved the upper half one dock over and secured it to the deck. Now to take a look at what I'm working with. I got out of the crane and once again, JayLa was in my face.

"What." I said sighing.

"I'm waiting for my answer; I can ask you the same thing." She said giving me the eyebrow.

"JayLa let it go." I said walking over to the legs and torso of the 000a.

"No I won't let it go, what have I done to make your life so fucking horrible huh? I wanna know" She said storming in front of me.

"You wanna know why?" I said stopping in my tracks.

"Yeah I do. I wanna know why." She said.

"Because you are the worst thing that has ever happened to me. EVER." I said in her face.

I walked over to the lower half of the suit and looked in on the ruptured core. It wasn't as bad as I actually thought. It didn't really even need a transplant. I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder. i didn't even turn around.

"What is it JayLa." I said flatly

"Take it back." She said a little angrily.

"Take back what?" I said tugging at some scrap metal

"Take back what you said about me." She said more aggressively.

"What? About you being the worst thing that's ever happened to me? Sorry, if I did I wouldn't mean it." I said pulling at some more metal.

"Zero, I'm not asking you I'm telling you." She said pushing me.

I dropped the piece of metal I had in my hand and turned around. I looked at her like she was crazy. She looked at me and looked like she was crazy.

"Don't push me JayLa." I said lowly

"Or what? You gon hit me Zero?" she said pushing me again.

"JayLa."

"JayLa what? What you gon do about it, I'm the worst thing that ever happened to you, so do something." She said shoving me into the mobile suit.

It was instantaneous. My hand reached, her hand reached, and in the end we both had guns to our heads. We looked at each other for what almost seemed like an eternity. Anger from all the bad memories coursed through my body like lava.

"You're reflexes have gotten better." She growled.

"Yours have gotten worse." I spat.

"Drop the gun Zero; you're not gon do anything."

"Don't test me woman. It won't be hard to get rid of you."

"Get rid of me? Ha ha ha, since when did you turn hardcore?" She laughed

"JayLa, I'm in no mood, and this is not the right time or place."

"Oh yeah? Well do somethin' Zero." She said narrowing her eyes at me.

We stood there, guns at each other's heads. Waiting for each other to make a move. Unfortunately for me that didn't take long. I blinked and the next thing I knew the gun was out of my hand and I hit the ground. My head shot up and saw JayLa's heel starting to come down. I pulled the opposite leg, and she came tumbling down on top of me. We scrambled around on the ground for a second until I pushed her off of me and jumped to the side. She caught her balance and came at me full force. I tried to dodge but found out I was against the railing, Not good. She plowed into me and we both flip over the rail and onto the deck 10 feet below us. I tried to get up but I was still stunned from the impact. JayLa on the other hand hopped up like she had only fallen 3 inches. I scrambled to my feet and put my guard up in the nick on time. She came at me throwing blow after blow. Luckily I had taken some lessons from Trowa and Wufei on hand to hand combat. That blocking lesson was coming in handy. She continued throwing punches and kicks in my direction. I was blocking them, but it was wearing me down. She went to kick me in the stomach, but I sidestepped and planted my fist in her chest with everything I had. I hadn't even knew my arm had shot out , it was sheer instinct. She stumbled back a few steps, and stretched.

"Hmm, not bad boy, you did get one hit on me." She laughed. She hadn't even broken a sweat.

"What the hell is your problem?" I said out of breath. I kept my guard up just incase.

"I don't have the problem, you have the problem with me, remember?" she said running towards me.

"JayLa Stop it! I'm not trying to fight you." I yelled bracing for impact.

She plowed into me again, and we both went to the floor. We laid there punching and kicking at each other, trying to find a weak point, but by now we had already figured out each other's weakness. That didn't do me any good being tired though. I planted my feet in her stomach and launched her into the air. I tried to scurry to my feet but she came down hard with a double axe handle. I hit the ground stunned again. There should be no way this girl is this strong. I lay there for a minute and she stood over me.

"You done yet?" she said a little out of breath.

"n-nope" I said starting to get up. "just getting started."

I got to my feet and immediately swung my arm in an attempt to backhand her. She caught my fist right before it hit her face and smiled, just what I wanted her to do. I came around with the other fist, hard. She hit the ground and skid into a garbage bin nearby. At this point I think I had broken my hand, but I ignored it. I started to brace for the next attack but JayLa was still on the ground. Maybe I'm stronger than I thought.

My cell phone went off suddenly and I reached into my pocket to retrieve it.

"What." I answered it still out of breath.

"Hey girlfriend why do you have your blast shield up? How are we supposed to get in?" Duo yelled into the phone.

"Wait…wha? You guys are outside?" I said limping towards the control terminal.

"Yeah, whats going on here, why are there bodies scattered in your yard?" Trowa interrupted.

"I'm opening the shield now." I said leaning against the terminal. "Come on in, I'll explain ever-AAAAH!"

I dropped my cell phone and fell to my knees. It felt like my kidney had just exploded. JayLa walked around me and kneeled down in front of me.

"So are you going to say it or what?" she asked. I didn't respond. However I did slam my skull into hers. My vision swam even more as I got to my feet. She stumbled back, regained her balance, and was back at me again. At this point adrenalin took over and we were just throwing punches back and forth, trying to take each other down. All the noise around me ceased to exist. It was just me and her swinging kicking grabbing and pushing. I didn't even notice the pilots dock their suits and run over to where me and her were fighting. I'd swing and she'd dodge, she'd kick and I'd duck. It was all going so fast it was like I didn't even have control of my own body. I saw a flash in the JayLa disappeared from view in a cloud of blue smoke. I blinked, looked up and saw her falling from the sky to meet me. I grabbed out for her and caught hold. Both of our eyes met. I saw the fire and determination in them, but I also saw something else, something that looked almost sad…..or insane. That look disappeared a split second later. She struggled against my grip and knocked me off balance. I stumbled towards the rail trying to catch my balance, and over we went. Hands reached to grab for us but it was too late. I hit the 3rd deck hard and she landed on top of me. I wasn't hurt, but I just couldn't move. Or maybe I was so hurt I couldn't feel the pain anymore. Regardless. My hearing started to come back, and I heard every once screaming 'are you ok'. I looked to the side at JayLa, but came face to face with a pistol. I looked over it at her, and her arm started shaking.

"Just shoot me then, I said with what little energy I had left.

"I can't do it." She said dropping the gun on the deck.

"Chicken." I laughed one last time as I closed my eyes.

"Shut up." She said doing the same.


End file.
